“It’s Finally Infrastructure Week”

How Harford Minerals plans to support the newest Infrastructure objectives in our region

Congress has passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), the largest single investment of federal resources into infrastructure projects in more than a decade, which includes a substantial effort to fortify the nation’s response to the warming of the planet.

Harford Minerals has been building its partnerships and long-term goals on the same values. We believe that our newest investments and technologies can help set a leadership standard in the Mid-Atlantic region in the major infrastructure overhaul to come.

Here are 5 ways in which Harford’s current strategies will amplify the goals championed in the Infrastructure Bill:

  1. Repair Roads, Bridges, Highways with a Focus on Climate Change Mitigation

Harford Minerals will be the first company in the region with the capacity to recycle sand & other aggregates for reuse in construction. With the investment in a new wash plant that will recycle aggregate materials, Harford Minerals will be able to provide a sustainable source of building material for future developments. These materials have consistently tested at the same quality as virgin aggregate, while creating a source of material with less volatility than the current market leaders. It has the added benefit of diverting materials from landfills, a major step in improving climate change. 

  1. Reduce Greenhouse Emissions in the Transportation Sector

The transportation sector in the United States is now the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, cement (a key building material) is the source of about 8% of the world’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. A great deal of this comes from the harmful processes necessary to extract virgin aggregates from the environment. In contrast, sustainable aggregates have been repurposed through responsible reprocessing of waste material. The equipment being installed currently will be electric (typically diesel), replacing another harmful source of emissions. The introduction of Harford Minerals’ plant will be a critical factor in ensuring that each step of the process does its part to reduce greenhouse gases and positively reverse climate change.

  1. Fund new programs to support the development, demonstration, and

deployment of cutting-edge clean energy technologies to accelerate our transition to a zero-emission economy. 

Harford Minerals is built on the central tenet of a circular economy: creating a systemic life cycle which has no more output, but instead is zero waste and can be entirely reprocessed. Harford’s newest technology investment and partnership with CDE Global demonstrates our commitment to this principle, as it is the largest single investment made by Harford Minerals at this time. 

CDE, the world’s number one wet processing equipment company,  has made it its business to create a new world of resource and for more than 25 years has developed patented, novel solutions for industrial recycling which not only protect and extend the life of the earth’s finite natural resources but adds value to the customer’s bottom line. This year, CDE announced that they are switching their operations to Green Energy generated by local, renewable sources only. This proven leader in renewable technologies and sustainable development is the ideal partner for Harford Minerals to develop similar strategies and showcase what is possible for the rest of the region. 

  1. Reimagine port infrastructure and waterways to address repair and maintenance backlogs, and drive electrification and other low-carbon technologies.

Modern, resilient, and sustainable port, airport, and freight infrastructure will strengthen our supply chains and support U.S. competitiveness by removing bottlenecks and expediting commerce and reduce the environmental impact on neighboring communities. Harford Minerals already has an ongoing partnership with Maryland Department of Energy and The Port of Baltimore to support this initiative. 

On January 27, 2021, Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan and Board of Public Works (BPW) approved a contract award to Harford Minerals to study and demonstrate the innovative reuse of dredged material sediment to manufacture certain products for use in construction. The results will be compared to existing commercial options with the goal of making a locally produced product of comparable, or superior, quality. 

The contract approved by the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA), BPW and Maryland Port Commission (MPC) could greatly expand ways to reuse dredged material. Dredge sediment gathers in shipping channels and must be routinely cleared to keep lanes open for ship navigation. Also, dredge material must be excavated from the Port of Baltimore to increase its future capacity and ability to accept vessels of various sizes. As the infrastructure of ports in the United States improves, the research & development taking place at Harford Minerals will be key in showcasing how that process can be made sustainable and positive to the local environment.

  1. Tackle legacy pollution by cleaning up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaiming abandoned mines, and capping orphaned oil and gas wells.

Harford Minerals was founded in 1965, and since then, has been a reliable reclamation facility for the region’s excavation and dredge materials. As possible, the company will continue to tackle legacy pollution in the region and provide safe, responsible disposal of materials, all while finding more ways to create recycling options in this space.

Modernizing American infrastructure systems will mean paying attention to the materials used, and creating sustainable solutions wherever possible. Harford Minerals has a proven legacy of leading the region in this direction. With the introduction of the new Infrastructure bill, the opportunities to expand upon this work are just beginning to reveal themselves. We are excited to be at the forefront of this new chapter for American development.

To read more details of the Infrastructure Bill, visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/06/fact-sheet-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal/