Title: Recycled Waste Latex Paint as an Admixture in Concrete Sidewalks

Author(s): M. Nehdi

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 219

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 131-144

Keywords: chloride ions; concrete; latex paint; recycling; sidewalks; surface scaling; waste

DOI: 10.14359/13144

Date: 3/1/2004

Abstract:
Waste latex paint constitutes 12% of the total hazardous waste collected in Ontario, Canada. Currently only 10 to 30% of this waste is being collected. With increasingly more stringent environmental regulations on volatile organic compounds (VOCs), more latex-based paints will be produced compared to solvent- and oil-based alkyds. This will result in more waste latex paint being generated annually in Ontario and across North America. It costs municipalities between $0.90 and $1.40 CAD per litre to dispose of such waste. This study aims at investigating the benefits of recycling waste latex paint in concrete with a special focus on concrete sidewalks. Waste latex paint was used in concrete mixtures both as a partial replacement for virgin latex and for mixing water. It is shown that concrete mixtures incorporating waste latex paint have improved workability, higher flexural strength, lower chloride ion penetrability, better resistance to deicing salt surface scaling and could be more economic because they require less water-reducing and air-entraining admixtures. The annual urban concrete sidewalk construction could use the yearly production of waste latex paint while producing sidewalks with enhanced properties and durability.