Every day, millions of people drive on asphalt streets to reach their destinations. Now imagine if we still drove on dirt roads, or even brick. Would we arrive at our destinations safely and on time? Would we be able to plow and otherwise maintain the roads during inclement weather?
These types of questions make us appreciate the convenience of paved asphalt roads. It also makes us value asphalt recycling as a way of improving our relationship with the earth.
Here's what else you need to know about the importance of asphalt recycling.
Asphalt Recycling Process
During asphalt milling, we remove the top damaged layer of pavement. Afterward, we send the millings to a hot-mix asphalt plant for recycling.
The plant will then load the asphalt millings and large broken pieces of asphalt into their recycling machine. From there, the materials are tumbled for about 20 minutes at a temperature of 300 degrees Fahrenheit until they reach the perfect consistency. Then, they’ll take the crushed remnants and mix them with virgin materials.
Recycled asphalt is just as durable as virgin materials and is a great way to save money without sacrificing quality.
Energy Savings
By recycling asphalt, a contractor is able to reduce how much new material they need to complete a job. This saves the energy they would have otherwise spent to transport materials. Also, keep in mind that it takes a lot of energy to create asphalt binder from oil.
Recycling asphalt helps increase energy savings for companies in the long run. It also helps out our planet and future generations.
Waste Reduction
Contractors can now recycle asphalt, concrete, asphalt shingles, gypsum drywall, wood, and metals. But despite containing petroleum, asphalt remains the . Asphalt is also 100% recyclable.
Asphalt recycling is critical to reducing the waste going into our landfills. For this reason, many argue that asphalt has a smaller carbon footprint than concrete.
The reports that approximately 75 million tons of recycled asphalt is used each year.
Related:Is Asphalt Safe for the Environment? →
Conclusion
There's never been a better time to switch from concrete to asphalt. In fact, we've already seen an increase in the number of clients who ask about asphalt recycling. And we expect to see this trend grow over time.
As an asphalt paving company, we hope that more contractors go green. That way, we can re-use our natural resources and enjoy the open road for many years to come.
Request a Free Estimate With A-1 Asphalt
A-1 Asphalt is an asphalt paving and recycling contractor. As such, we're proud to serve clients in Wayland and Greater Grand Rapids. We offer everything from asphalt recycling to parking lot replacement for homeowners and commercial property owners alike.
To request a free estimate, please call A-1 Asphalt at (800) 871-4401. You may also fill out our online contact form and someone from our team will reach out to you soon.
This blog post has been updated.