ISCOWA WORKING GROUP B focuses on the matters involved in implementing full-scale use of alternative materials (e.g. the evaluation of demonstration projects).
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Dear ISCOWA members,

As you may know the ISCOWA board has asked me to chair working group B. A task which I have accepted with pleasure. It is a challenge for me to bring this working group with your support to live again. At the start of ISCOWA, it was decided that WG-B should focus primarily on "technical developments and materials management" related to the daily practice of recycling and re-use of waste materials in construction. At present date, I feel that this mission is still of present interest for ISOWA members.

It is widely recognized that laboratory testing along with appropriate field testing and eventually full scale evaluations through demo-projects are essential "tools" for sound decision making and rational materials management: both laboratory tests and pilot- and demo-projects play a key role in the acceptability of alternative materials for construction purposes. In contrast to laboratory tests pilot- and demo-projects have received only limited attention. In order to further advance pragmatic management of alternative materials, we feel that the primarily field of interest of WG-B should be on all relevant matters related to pilot- and demonstration projects.

The first new activity of WG-B will be a workshop, which will be held at WASCON 2000 on June 1 in the afternoon . The aim of the workshop is primarily to exchange experiences, identify regulatory obstacles and practical constriants, and to evaluate whether there is a need for general applicable guidelines (such as a scientific framework for evaluating the overall environmental impact, methods for integrating a large number of physical and chemical measurements, etc.). All ISCOWA members are welcome to attend this workshop. Detailed information will be provided on the ISCOWA website. To encourage the discussion, we have two introductory speakers (Annette Johnson (EAWAG), and David Gress (University of New Hampshire).

We hope that WG-B will ultimately serve as a platform where knowledge of researchers, engineers, policy makers, and contractors relevant to the field of interest of WG-B are brought together. I welcome feedback of any sort from the members. If you have comments, questions or suggestions for the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Looking forward to meeting you at WASCON 2000.

Chris Zevenbergen
19 April 2000

Presentation on "Waste Materials in Civil Engineering" on the occasion of the ISCOWA workshop at SB 2000 : Recycling, environmental quality control and legislation.