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On January 31, a Memorandum was sent to
all Caltrans District Directors requesting plans to outline how
they intended to meet the agency's goal of using Asphalt Rubber
in 15% of all the state's asphalt paving projects.
The memorandum, sent from Director Jeff Morales'
office and signed by Deputy Director, Tony Harris, states, "Faced
with limited natural resources and concerns over the growing
stock-piles of waste tires, engineered recy-cling strategies
such as the use of recycled crumb rubber in asphalt pave-ments
and shredded tires in lightweight fill are recognized as highly
desirable alternatives that should be incorporated into the Department's
highway projects with every opportunity."
"This Department is a leader in Transportation,
a position that was achieved by stepping up and accepting challenges
as opportunities. The Department has been presented with the
opportunity of expanding the use of recycled content tire products
in our projects. In the last fiscal year, the Department used
rubberized asphalt pavements in approximately 10% of the asphalt
pavement placed. I would like to set a statewide goal that 15%
of the Department's asphalt pavement constructed should incorporate
rubberized asphalt pavement."
"The Department has the unique ability
to conduct our transportation business, while at the same time
helping to address waste and landfill issues. Your stewardship
of these responsibilities reflects the leadership role the Department
holds, not only in transportation, but in the community as well."
Steve Jones, California Integrated Waste Management
Board, who heads up their Tire Programs lauded the new directive
saying "This is great news. The leadership shown by Mr.
Morales and this administration is key to sustaining markets
for a portion of the 34 million waste tires generated in California
every year by the use of rubberized asphalt.
We know that rubberized asphalt when applied
correctly has many long term benefits for the driving public
and citizens of the State of California. The California Integrated
Waste Management Board has always been committed to working with
not only Caltrans, but all the potential end-users of tire derived
products."
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