For decades, asphalt, blacktop, and concrete paving have served as catch-all solutions for our roadways, sidewalks, parking lots, and playgrounds. The popularity of these solutions has been for good reason; they work! But as the industry thought leaders turn their attention to the future of sustainability, paving companies have shifted to include eco-friendly solutions in their list of available paving materials.
Benefits of Recycled Asphalt and Concrete
Recycling asphalt and concrete is part of the industry effort to minimize the unnecessary waste in landfills. The benefits of using recycled asphalt and concrete are multifaceted. Recycled asphalt and concrete’s many benefits extend across environmental, economic, and quality priorities for pavement companies.
Some of the environmental benefits of using recycled asphalt and cement include:
- Recycling reduces the amount of new oil necessary to process new asphalt.
- Less construction waste is produced since the asphalt and concrete are ultimately recycled.
- The byproducts of asphalt pavement, such as mineral particles, can also help conserve natural resources.
The economic benefits of using recycled asphalt and cement can include:
- Taxpayers can save money with recycled materials.
- Recycled asphalt allows contractors and their customers to save on energy costs, material costs, and transportation costs.
- Asphalt is recyclable multiple times.
In addition to the economic and environmental benefits of recycled asphalt and concrete, there are also several benefits for the quality of the asphalt:
- Recycled asphalt has stronger resistance to cracking due to mineral fillers and organic fibers.
- Recycled asphalt is less susceptible to rutting.
- Using recycled materials reduces the demand for new asphalt, which decreases the need for virgin asphalt. Recycled asphalt is ultimately more robust and requires less repairs than new asphalt.
- Recycled asphalt has improved stiffness when compared to new asphalt.
Associated Paving Contractors, Inc. Crushes and Screens Our Own Asphalt
Some paving companies outsource their milling and screening processes to other plants. We take our commitment to green initiatives seriously, and we do this by crushing and screening all of our own recycled asphalt.
By pulverizing and screening our own recycled asphalt, we’re dedicated to providing eco-friendly, high-quality paving solutions. Our in-house recycling process has three main benefits:
- It’s faster when you don’t have to outsource to another plant.
- It saves money and labor costs because the base layer does not need to be excavated.
- Recycled materials account for most of the materials, so additional materials don’t need to be produced and brought to the worksite.
For more information about our green initiatives, reach out to our team today!
