California Governor Signs Concrete Recycling Bill

California Governor Arnold. Schwarzenegger has signed legislation by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk to establish standards for the use of recycled concrete materials, eliminating unnecessary construction waste.

AB 574 establishes a specific definition for recycled concrete, as well as the amount of recycled materials allowed in final concrete products. The bill also establishes that the final user of products built using recycled concrete must be fully informed that the concrete is recycled.

The bill allows the use of recycled concrete in building materials if the end user has been fully informed that the concrete is recycled concrete. The bill also provides a specific definition for what recycled concrete, as well as the amounts of recycled material allowed in the end concrete product.

It is estimated that about 67 percent of waste by weight from construction sites is from returned concrete. This represents nearly 3 percent of total production statewide- tons of material each year. Materials used in concrete are already in short supply; this bill would ensure that a large portion of them is recycled.

The bill signed into law allows recycled concrete to consist of up to 15 percent reprocessed liquid concrete, 35 percent of water used could be reclaimed water, and up to 30 percent of the aggregate used could be reprocessed aggregate. This is in accordance with the Greenbook Standard Specifications for Public Works: 2003 Edition.

AB 574, which will take effect Jan. 6, was supported by Southern California Rock Products, the Construction Materials Association of California, Southern California Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Solid Waste Association of North America, and California Portland Cement Company.