BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3524

By: Maldonado

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Many municipal solid waste landfills and recycling vendors have reduced or eliminated their glass recycling programs because of the lack of a market for the recycled product. Along those lines, waste glass constitutes approximately seven percent of the 200 million tons of municipal solid waste generated annually in the United States with nearly 10 million tons deposited in our nation’s landfills every year. In addition, successful recycling programs have produced large quantities of glass in many parts of the country. Glass packaging, bottles, and jars which hold food, beverages, or toiletries, is the primary source for recycled glass.

Field projects and studies by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) have shown that blended glass cullet can be successfully used in certain roadway construction projects at levels of up to 20 percent.

C.S.H.B. 3524 requires TxDOT to use, or enter into a contract to use, at least 10,000 cubic yards per year of glass cullet gathered in Texas as a replacement for aggregate material in roadway construction.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3524 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) each year to use, or enter into a contract to use, at least 10,000 cubic yards per year of glass cullet gathered in Texas as a replacement for aggregate material. The bill makes this provision applicable to a year that begins on or after January 1, 2010.  The bill defines "glass cullet" as recycled, crushed glass suitable as a replacement for gravel aggregate in roadway construction.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3524 differs from the original by requiring the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to use, or contract to use, at least 10,000 cubic yards of glass cullet per year, whereas the original requires TxDOT to use, or contract to use, glass cullet so that the overall amount of aggregate material replaced statewide in all projects is 10 percent. The substitute removes a provision in the original which specified the types of projects to which the bill's provisions apply. The substitute removes a provision in the original requiring TxDOT to adopt rules to implement the requirement to replace aggregate material with glass cullet.

C.S.H.B. 3524 differs from the original by making its provisions applicable to a year that begins on or after January 1, 2010, whereas the original makes it provisions applicable to a request for bids, proposals, or other offers by or on behalf of TxDOT that relates to a contract that involves the use of asphalt that is published on or after January 1, 2010.