How do you purchase recycled content construction products?
Replacing concrete pathways/walkways
Require contractors to mix concrete containing the highest practicable amount of coal fly ash or GGB slag (the level of coal fly ash usually ranges from 15 to 35 percent of total cementious material but may reach 70 percent in massive walls, girders, etc. The level of GGB slag ranges from 25 to 50 percent). Concrete mixed with these materials improves the workability and ultimate strength of the concrete and helps reduce permeability and sulfate attack. The cost of mixing cement with these products might also cost less than concrete mixed with only Portland cement.
Replacing walls
Require contractors to purchase products made from recovered wood and paper fibers.
Replacing insulation
- Use products made from recovered materials available for many applications, including spraying foam or cellulose insulation into new and existing walls and installing rolls of fiberglass in new walls and ceilings.
- When directing building or renovating projects, ask contractors to purchase the appropriate insulation made with the highest practicable level of recovered materials.
Replacing carpets, tiles, paint
- Use recycled fiber polyester carpet; for example, carpet manufactured from recycled soda bottles. Carpets made from recycled products wear better than carpets made of virgin polyester fibers because the standards for food grade plastics are higher than those for virgin carpet fiber plastics.
- An agency should also look into resilient floor tiles made from recycled rubber or recovered plastic when surfacing floors in areas where grease, tar, snow, ice, moisture, etc. are likely to be present.
- Contractors should also use reprocessed and consolidated latex paints, which are comprised of up to 100 percent recovered material and can be used for many interior and exterior architectural applications
Find more information of buying recycled content materials on state contract.
