The California Integrated Waste Management Board approved a Recycling Market Development Zone (RMDZ) program loan of $1.5 million to Tri-C Manufacturing in West Sacramento, in an effort to further enhance California's recycling industry. The Sacramento Regional Recycling Market Development Zone serves all areas of Sacramento County, as well as the City of West Sacramento Enterprise Zone in Yolo County.
"These loans exemplify the Board's comprehensive approach to recycling in California -- protecting the public health and putting people to work," said Board Chair Margo Reid Brown. "That intersection between business and the environment will benefit Californians far into the future."
The low-interest loan to Tri-C will protect California's environment and boost the economy by diverting about 54,000 tons of waste tires annually away from landfills and into higher-value products, while creating and create 20 new jobs to help bolster the state's workforce.
Tri-C Manufacturing, Inc. works with Tri-C Machine Corporation to manufacture and sell tire shredding granulators and other accessories. The state loan will allow Tri-C to begin recycling tires.
RMDZ loans are part of a concerted effort by the Waste Board to strengthen and expand the domestic market for recycled materials, and provide California recyclers with alternatives to export markets that consume much of the state's recyclables.
Tri-C will shred and grind waste tires to produce tire chips and crumb rubber. This crumb rubber will be sold to manufacturers of door mats, flooring products, and Rubberized Asphalt Concrete (RAC), which is an alternative to conventional asphalt used for road paving projects.
RAC is made by blending rubber from recycled waste tires with asphalt, and then applying the mix to road surfaces. Standard RAC uses 2,000 waste tires for every lane mile paved, resists cracking, retains its original color so road markings are more clearly visible, reduces noise, and over its lifetime dramatically cuts costs for road projects: a two-inch layer of the material can save up to $50,000 per lane mile compared to a standard 4-inch thick layer of conventional asphalt.
California produces more than 42 million waste tires annually, and recycling/reuse programs find new uses for about 30 million waste tires each year. The remainder ends up in landfills or in unregulated tire dump sites.
The RMDZ program offers technical assistance and low-interest loans of up to $2 million as incentives to grow the recycled-materials segment of California's economy. Businesses in approximately half of the state are now eligible for assistance under the program, which began in 1990 and has now issued in excess of $100 million in loans. The loans are typically made for 5 to 10 years, and the current interest rate is 4.0%.
The Sacramento Regional Recycling Market Development Zone is managed by the Business Environmental Resource Center (BERC), 3331 Peacekeeper Way, McClellan, CA 95965. Zone Administrator Duane O’Donnell can be reached at (916) 649-0225.
Posted: May 5, 2009
RMDZ Celebrates $100 million in Loans
January 22, 2009: State and local officials celebrated the California Integrated Waste Management Boards (CIWMB) providing more than 100 million dollars in loans through its Recycled Market Development Zone (RMDZ) loan program. The RMDZ program offers business loans designed to boost Californias economy and create green jobs. The event was held at ersol Silicon Inc. in Camarillo, CA. Ersol Silicon was a loan recipient that is now an international supplier of recycled silicon for solar panel manufacturers.
Posted: May 28, 2009
Manufacturer of paper-based products expands at McClellan
Fiberwood LLC began production in July 2007, manufacturing a mulch used for dust abatement, erosion control, and to establish new lawns.
Just as they expanded their product line to include a new green insulation material, President Obama signed the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act meant to stimulate the economy. The federal stimulus bill included $5 billion to help seal, insulate and otherwise weatherize the homes of modest-income Americans.
Stu Douglass, president of the company, said that its an incredible new program that pays up to a $1,500 tax credit per home to increase insulation and decrease homeowners’ energy bills.
Fiberwood’s cellulose insulation, considered to be a 'green' product', is made from recycled newsprint and other paper sources. The product is blown into attics.
Mr. Douglass said that it’s highly efficient, and it settles into all the nooks and crannies providing a fantastic thermal barrier.
Cellulose insulation mimics the properties of fiberglass. But unlike fiberglass, it’s easy to install, not itchy, and because it’s made of recycled paper, it’s not as harmful to inhale, Douglass said. Boric acid is mixed into the insulation so it not only acts as a fire retardant, but also repels insects, he said.
Fiberwood helps divert waste from the landfill by using 50 tons of recycled paper per shift to manufacture their products. Posted: May 28, 2009
