Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Environment Committee

HB 1695

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Establishing a priority for the use, reuse, and recycling of construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials in Washington.

Sponsors: Representatives Clibborn, Hayes, Ryu, Kochmar, Senn, Zeiger, Tarleton, Fey, Farrell, Harmsworth, Van Werven, Stanford, Fitzgibbon, Stokesbary, Wylie, Tharinger, Moscoso, Riccelli and Santos.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Requires the Department of Transportation (DOT), together with local governmental entities and Washington state construction associations, to develop criteria and incentives for the reuse and recycling of commonly defined coarse and fine aggregate cement and concrete mixtures with the goal of recycling 70 percent of construction aggregate, recycled concrete materials, and related construction materials in state and local transportation and infrastructure projects by the year 2020.

  • Requires all Washington roadway, street, highway, and infrastructure projects to use at least 25 percent construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials by 2016, and requires that each year thereafter, increase the percentage by at least 9 percent until the year 2020.

  • Requires any local government with jurisdiction over a public works transportation or infrastructure project to, by the year 2016, adopt standards as developed by the DOT for the use of recycled materials as shown in the DOT's standard specifications for road, bridge, and municipal construction.

  • Requires local governments located in a county with less than 100,000 residents to review and determine their capacity for recycling, establishing recycling strategies to reuse construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials for projects in their jurisdiction, and adopting the DOT's standard specifications for road, bridge, and municipal construction.

Hearing Date: 2/9/15

Staff: Jason Callahan (786-7117).

Background:

The Washington Department of Transportation (DOT) maintains standard specifications for road, bridge, and municipal construction. According to the DOT, the standard specifications are, with some limited exceptions, incorporated into the written agreement between DOT and their contractors. These standard specifications include the maximum allowable percent, by weight, of recycled materials in road and bridge aggregate materials. The allowable percentages are based on the materials being recycled, such as hot mix asphalt, concrete rubble, and steel furnace slag, and the use of the material, such as crushed surfacing, gravel backfill, or ballast. Depending on the material and its use, the maximum allowable percentage of recycled material is either 0 percent, 20 percent, or 100 percent.

Summary of Bill:

The DOT, together with local governmental entities and Washington state construction associations (required actors) must develop and establish criteria and incentives for the reuse and recycling of commonly defined coarse and fine aggregate cement and concrete mixtures (construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials). The required actors must adopt a goal and strategy to recycle 70 percent of construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials and related construction materials in state and local transportation and infrastructure projects, except for counties with less than 100,000 residents, by the year 2020.

Beginning in the year 2016, all Washington roadway, street, highway, and infrastructure projects must use at least 25 percent construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials. Each year after 2016, that percentage must be increased by at least 9 percent until the year 2021. By 2021, all projects must reach a level of at least 61 percent construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials. During this time period, the required actors must also report to the Legislature annually on the progress being made to reach the 2020 recycling goals.

Also beginning in the year 2016, any local government with jurisdiction over a public works transportation or infrastructure project, regardless of size, must adopt standards as developed by the DOT for the use of recycled materials as shown in the DOT's standard specifications for road, bridge, and municipal construction.

Local governments located in a county with less than 100,000 residents must immediately take certain actions. This includes reviewing and determining their capacity for recycling, establishing recycling strategies to reuse construction aggregate and recycled concrete materials for projects in their jurisdiction, and adopting DOT's standard specifications for road, bridge, and municipal construction.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 2, 2015.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.