Recycling
Recycling Concrete and Asphalt Helps Build Sustainable Communities
Californians have long been committed to recycling. It is second nature to us to recycle paper, plastic, glass, and cans on a daily basis. Metal, wood, used oil, and household hazardous waste are frequent recyclables, too.
But what happens to the concrete when that building down the street is torn down? And where do old roads go when you see asphalt pavement being pulled up?
Demolishing infrastructure to repair and replace roads and buildings generates large quantities of construction wastes. Many California sand and gravel operators help keep these materials out of landfills by annually crushing millions of tons of used concrete and asphalt pavement into Construction Aggregates.
In 2010, 3,152,610 tons of concrete and 12,566,348 tons of asphalt were recycled in California, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey.
These recycled aggregates are in great demand by contractors, cities, counties, park districts, and home owners for meeting our infrastructure needs, and for such uses as building new roads, parking lots, landscaping, drainage around underground pipe, erosion control, base materials for footings and foundations, and in new concrete and asphalt.
Cost Effective
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Saves contractors landfill fees and decreases disposal costs
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Occurs at local recycling operation or at the demolition site
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Cuts transportation costs due to proximity of recycling facilities
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Extends diminishing natural aggregate resources
Environmentally Effective
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Saves dwindling landfill space
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Reduces the environmental effects of long-haul transportation
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Conserves petroleum products
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Reduces energy use
Municipally Effective
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A key component for helping governments reach recycling objectives; assists local municipalities and counties meet mandates to reduce waste disposal.
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Saves local government money and helps taxpayers
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Offers high quality and performance
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Creates new business opportunities and jobs
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Helps meet demand for new infrastructure
Demand for Aggregates Keeps Building
Recycled aggregates originate from de-molished infrastructure. Yet it is estimated that if all concrete and asphalt rubble were recycled, it would be only 5% of what is needed in the construction industry.
More Information
Statistics on Concrete & Asphalt Recycling - USGS Minerals Yearbook for Crushed Stone - Concrete & Asphalt Recycling (Table 15) -
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/stone_crushed/myb1-2010-stonc.pdf
Recycled Concrete
Federal Highway Administration
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/recycling/rca.cfm
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/t504037.cfm
http://www.rmrc.unh.edu/Research/tools/RCAREPORT.pdf
Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP)
Federal Highway Administration guidelines
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/recycling/rap/index.cfm
FHWA - RAP in Asphalt Mixes - State of the Practice
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/pavements/11021/11021.pdf
National Highway Cooperative Research Program
http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/154134.aspx
National Center for Asphalt Research -
http://www.eng.auburn.edu/research/centers/ncat/index.html
CA Asphalt Pavements Assoc.
http://www.californiapavements.org/recycling.html
