What You Need to Know About Asphalt Recycling

Sustainability isn’t just a passing trend. As humans become more aware of their impact on the environment, the move toward sustainability is affecting every industry, including the paving industry. Whether you’re in the market for a new driveway, parking lot, road or any other paved surface, recycled asphalt is an exciting eco-friendly option.

Recycled asphalt reuses asphalt chunks to create new, long-lasting pavement with exceptional performance and appearance. Here’s what you need to know about asphalt recycling.

How is asphalt recycled?

There are several different methods for recycling asphalt, including full-depth recycling. This process transforms old, worn out pavement into brand-new, stronger roads. During the process, a recycler mixes asphalt chunks or millings with water and other additives. If you’re working with hot mix asphalt, the mixture is heated and applied. Cold recycling requires no heating, which can result in significant energy savings.

The asphalt cement—or the glue that holds pavement together—can be reused as a binding agent for new pavement surfaces, retaining its adhesive qualities no matter how many times it’s reused. The fine mineral particles made during production can also be reused, further helping conserve aggregates—a natural resource that can be depleted.

How can you use recycled asphalt?

Any surface that can be made with regular asphalt can be made with recycled asphalt. It can be used for paving roads, driveways and walkways. The surfaces will look exactly as they would if new asphalt had been used.

What are some of the benefits involved with asphalt recycling?

There are many advantages to recycling asphalt. It helps conserve natural resources and even strengthens roads, driveways, sidewalks and other surfaces. Some of the primary benefits include:

• Financial advantage: Not only do consumers save money by investing in surfaces made from recycled asphalt, but contractors save money, too. Using recycled asphalt helps contractors save energy, materials and transportation costs, resulting in lower costs for the customer. It’s simply a cost-effective solution, no matter the size or scope of a project.
• Environmental responsibility: There are many ways in which recycling asphalt chunks can benefit the environment. Recycling old asphalt reduces the amount of oil needed in the construction process. Since the material is recycled rather than taken to a landfill, recycled asphalt significantly reduces construction waste. Recycling also preserves natural resources, as the mineral particles produced during the paving process are saved and reused for new surfaces.
• Strength advantage: Recycled pavement actually makes roads, driveways and other surfaces much stronger. Surfaces made with reused pavement have much stronger cracking resistance, since there are added mineral fillers and organic fibers included in the mix. The surfaces are much stiffer and harder, and are less susceptible to rutting.

Asphalt recycling is a sustainable and affordable pavement solution for virtually any project. You’ll not only be doing a great thing for the environment, but you’ll also keep the cost of your new paved surfaces low. Contact Maryland Asphalt LLC to learn more about the advantages of using recycled asphalt for stable, attractive and long-lasting surfaces.

Categorised in: Asphalt Contractor