On September 25th, Governor Newsom signed a new bill into law that will enhance the sustainability of California roads. Assembly Bill 661 expands the state’s existing State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign (SABRC) to include more recycled materials in pavements. Here are a few of the highlights:

• For recycled tire-derived products … total content shall consist of at least 50 percent recycled used waste tires.
• For rubberized pavement surfaces, such as rubberized asphalt concrete and chip seal, the binder shall contain at least 15 percent recycled waste tires by weight.
• Recycled asphalt pavement shall contain a minimum of 25 percent reclaimed asphalt pavement by weight.

For our paving partners in the Golden State, AB 661 presents an opportunity to enhance the sustainability and quality of their asphalt. Using SigmaBond further enables them to meet these new requirements. Since SigmaBond utilizes Polyco’s Rapid Digestion Process™ (RDP), end-of-life tires are blended with asphalt to create homogeneous, storage stable tire rubber formulations in all PG binder, trackless track and emulsions. Additionally, SigmaBond allows for more than 40 percent tire content, more recycled materials in HMA and WMA and has been proven to resist cracking — extending pavement life. SigmaBond also enables faster production times and is compatible with virtually any asphalt mix.

As AB 661 goes into effect on January 1st, we’re excited to see California take strides in ensuring the sustainability of its roads. From our perspective, it’s a win-win for the preservation of our environment and infrastructure. And, here at Polyco, we’re proud to play a role in this new era of pavement sustainability alongside our partners.