CMRA toasts busy 2003.

* The Construction Materials Recycling Association (CMRA), Lisle, Ill., had the most active year in its history, Executive Director William Turley says. The CMRA took part in several projects to promote the recycling of construction and demolition materials.

The association took a major step with the establishment of the "Issues and Education Fund," a 501 (c)(4) organization to work more closely with regulatory agencies to promote the viewpoint of C&D recycling companies. Turley says the find "is looking to really ramp up its activities in 2004 as it works to the benefit of C&D recyclers."

One of the CMRA's most potentially influential projects wits working with the Construction Engineering Research Lab (CERL) of the Army Corps of Engineers on the demolition and recycling of concrete structures containing lead-based paint (LBP) in 2003. "Many states question or even ban the recycling of concrete with any kind of paint on it for fear that it might be LBP and there will be negative health impacts," remarks Turley.

The CMRA and the National Association of Demolition Contractors, Doylestown, Pa., have funded a study to find out where the trace amounts of lead go during the demolition and recycling processes. The CMRA will soon finish a position paper on the project results, which will be an adjunct to the CERL report on the same subject to be discussed at the C&D World Expo and CMRA Annual Meeting Jan. 25-28 in New Orleans.

Also in 2003, the Federal Highway Administration received input from the CMRA to make sure concrete recyclers were included in that agency's studies on overcoming barriers to using recycled concrete as a highway material. The results of those studies can be found at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ pavement/recycle.htm.

The CMRA has followed up on an EPA grant it received to work with large companies and governmental agencies to provide recycling options for the C&D materials they generate. The resulting information demonstrates the financial and environmental benefits of recycling, so participating companies will put recycling requirements in their contracts.

The CMRA is one of a few associations that has been allowed to join the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The USGBC's LEED program is growing in influence. A portion of its "scoring system" rewards the recycling and reuse of scrap construction materials generated at job sites. "The CMRA looks forward to working with USGBC on an ongoing basis," says Turley.

A Web page providing all known information on the recycling of wallboard, www.gypsumrecycling.org, will be up and running early in 2004. Similarly, www.shinglerecycling.org has been established as a Web-based library on this subject.

Also in 2003, the CMRA's local chapters in New England, Southern California and Florida continued to thrive, Turley says. The CMRA also plans to maintain its affiliation with this magazine, newly re-named as Construction & Demolition Recycling.

To find out more about the CMRA, go to its Web site at www.cdrecycling.org.