Fines details.

* A best management practices document being prepared by the Construction Materials Recycling Association (CMRA), Lisle, Ill., is intended to provide information and guidance needed to use fines products from environmentally friendly C&D recycling centers.

The intent is to provide regulatory officials and others the science-based information needed to properly use the smallest pieces of the construction and demolition (C&D) materials stream, says CMRA President Thomas Roberts. Ks part of the program, the CMRA also will put together an index of all the research available on hydrogen sulfide gas emissions at landfills.

"Many regulatory agencies and customers do not understand that C&D fines present an excellent chance to recycle more material," says Roberts of JR Capital in Florida. "The fines are a time-proven product that, when handled and used properly, can provide an economic opportunity to the end user."

While instances have occurred where hydrogen sulfide odors have arisen from landfills using C&D fines as an alternative daily cover (ADC) material, hundreds of MSW and C&D landfills have used the C&D fines as ADC with no problem after following proven, mandated landfill techniques, according to the CMRA.

Published C&D researcher Dr. Timothy Townsend of the University of Florida is organizing the literature search project. A central reference to the collected studies should help provide regulators the opportunity to see all the science available on the hydrogen sulfide gas emission situation at landfills. "Too many times we have seen regulators react without seeing all the research available and we want them to make sound judgments based on real-world data, rather than blaming C&D fines when so many other materials could be causing the situation, or that the landfill is not being operated according to regulations and best management practices," says Townsend.

He adds that many states also allow the fines to bc used as a fill material, and that the CMRA will put forth best management practices for that practice, as well.

To that end the CMRA is soliciting input from other interested parties far information on the best management practices guide for C&D fines. To provide data or any other comments, the CMRA can be contacted at [phone] or [e-mail].