The N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) demonstrates its ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability through an extensive number of existing programs.  “Safeguarding North Carolina's unique natural and cultural resources is a priority for our department," said Secretary David McCoy.

NCDOT participates in N.C. Project Green, an interagency association of 14 state agencies and 16 universities chartered by Gov. Hunt in 1998 to encourage environmental sustainability in state government.. Highlights of NCDOTs 2000 plan include new partnerships with Habitat for Humanity and the Department of Corrections.

·        Partnership with Habitat for Humanity - Selected homes located within the department's rights of way will be partially deconstructed by Habitat for Humanity through a new partnership with NCDOT's division office in Durham and Habitat for Humanity of Wake County. The materials will be stored in Habitat's re-use center, where they are either used in new construction for low-income families or sold to the general public at reduced prices. So far, three homes have been partially deconstructed, diverting a total of 4,000 pounds of demolition debris from the landfill.

·        Aluminum Highway Sign Reclaiming Program - Through a partnership with the Department of Corrections, a highway sign recycling plant will be established at a Correction’s facility in Carthage, N.C. Inmates will recycle the signs using a state-of-the-art high-pressure water system purchased from Hydrostripper of Fergus Falls, MN. This new, environmentally sound procedure will not damage the aluminum, allowing highway signs to be reused over and over again.

These new projects are part of a continuing commitment by NCDOT.  For example, during the past 9 years, NCDOT has used the following amounts of recycled materials in construction and landscaping projects:

• 8 million scrap tires
• 40,000 tons of coal fly ash
• 660,000 tons of recycled asphalt
• 475,000 tons of recycled concrete

In 1999 alone, NCDOT decreased landfill waste by nearly 4,000 tons through recycling and waste reduction activities. These efforts yielded nearly $50,000 through the sale of recycled materials and saved the department more than $500,000 in disposal costs.  

Contact:  Larry Sams