Work to demolish a 30 metre New Jersey smokestack could begin as soon as Monday.

Plans for the demolition of Red Bank’s idle incinerator stack are moving ahead, with work expected to begin as early as Monday, borough engineer Christine Ballard tells redbankgreen.

In a press release issued today, Ballard says the 30 metre tall brick smokestack at the western end of Sunset Avenue is part of a hazardous discharge site remediation leading, possibly, to the creation of a park on the 8.5-acre property.

In addition, the receipt of some $511,000 in grants for the takedown and ground testing afterward means that the project can move ahead “without overly burdening taxpayers.”

Read the full story here.

C&D Consultancy’s John Woodward is in for a busy and LOUD week.

Explosive demolition contracts are something of a rarity these days. In fact, it’s not unusual for the UK to go months without a single blast. But by some strange quirk of timing, C&D Consultancy’s John Woodward will be involved in two in the space of just 72 hours.

On Thursday, Woodward will be on site as Lee Demolition and PDC explosives engineers carry out the demolition of two structures at the St. Regis Paper Mill, Caldicot, Monmouthshire, NP26 5XT. The blasts can be viewed from a public viewing area within the site and the blast is scheduled for noon.

On Sunday, Woodward will be breaking out the ear defenders again as AR Demolition and PDC explosives engineers demolish two chimneys at the Former Timken Works, Desford Lane, Kirby Muxloe, Leicestershire.
The blasts can be viewed from a public viewing area off Desford Lane and the blast is scheduled for 11.00am. “Anyone intending to view this blast should try to get to site early as it is being filmed by BBC Television and Top Gear’s Richard Hammond will be presenting to camera on the day,” Woodward says. “Refreshments will be available for purchase on the day if you leave home before having breakfast. We hope to see you there!”

EPA releases report explaining how recycling can combat climate change

The US Environmental Protection Agency has released a report that points out steps that people can take to reduce the amount of emissions. The report, titled “Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Materials and Land Management Practices,” finds that 42 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions are influenced by materials management policies. This includes the impacts from extracting raw materials, food processing, and manufacturing, transporting, and disposing of products.

Read the full story here.

Dig A Crusher MD completes epic charity cycle ride.

As regular readers will know, Dig A Crusher managing director has just spent the past seven days cycling from the Northernmost to the Southernmost tip of his native Ireland to raise money for the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity. Saddle sore and weary, Sean has just sent us this message:

Congratulations Sean and to all your fellow riders; what a spectacular achievement.

Angelo State University Hall implosion delayed following discovery of asbestos.

The implosion of University Hall on the Angelo State University campus has been delayed because of the discovery of additional asbestos that must be removed first.

The former residence hall popularly known as the Women’s High Rise, was scheduled for demolition by implosion on 20 September. A new date will be set for October, according to an ASU news release.

Read the full story here.

Could the demolition of James May’s Lego house be the easiest demolition job ever?

Back in August, BBC Top Gear presenter and toy fanatic James May and a group of willing volunteers built a house entirely from Lego which May then lived in.

However, the two-storey building – complete with staircase, toilet and shower – was designed purely as a temporary structure. And unless an alternative home can be found for the structure, it is due to be demolished on 22 September in what could prove to be the easiest, and most colourful demolition job in recent memory.

There’s no news as yet on who has landed the contract to demolish the building. But we sincerely hope they see through the toy theme and handle all the on-site haulage using Tonka trucks.

Volume of responses force Defra to delay revised waste exemption rules.

For just over a year, The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Welsh Assembly Government and the Environment Agency have been undertaking a review of the waste exemptions from environmental permitting. The aim of the review was to provide a more risk based and proportionate approach to the regulation of waste recovery and disposal operations, complementing the new environmental permitting regime.

The consultation included a number of proposed measures aimed at increasing the use of exemptions for as wide a range as possible of low risk activities (including most of those operating under an Environment Agency low risk position) whilst removing or restricting the availability of the exemptions for higher risk waste operations by seeking to regulate higher risk operations through one or more standard permits.

The consultation also sought views on a partial impact assessment and a draft set of regulations. This consultation closed on Thursday 23 October 2008, and a summary of responses – including those from the National Federation of Demolition Contractors and the Institute of Demolition Engineers – has just been published.

Defra reports that the original proposal was to implement revised regulations by October 2009. However, the high level of stakeholder engagement during and since the consultation has led to an increased number of policy issues requiring resolution. Defra, Welsh Assembly Government and the Environment Agency have therefore decided to put back the implementation of new regulations until the next available opportunity in April 2010.

Further details, including a summary of responses, can be found here.

Equipment thieves have made off with $39,000 worth of equipment from Naval Station.

A demolition crew from Northwest Demolition and Dismantling returned to the Centerville Beach Naval Station in California on Monday and found that a skid steer loader, a trailer and a generator were missing from the property, according to a Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office press release.

The stolen property is estimated at about $39,000. The first vehicle reported as stolen is an approximately 1991 Bobcat 553 Skid Steer Loader that is white, orange and black. The Bobcat had a custom-made grapple bucket attachment. The tires on the Bobcat are Setco brand solid tires.

Further details here.

Video showing implosion of a pair of 115 metre high chimneys in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.