Tibbspaving

Did You Know? Asphalt Is Green.

Asphalt is reusable. This has benefits for the environment and paving budgets. When asphalt pavement is removed for resurfacing or repaving, it can be reprocessed. Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) contains asphalt and aggregates. Being able to reuse RAP reduces reliance on raw materials for repaving and construction. Asphalt is actually recycled at a higher rate than any other material in the U.S.!

Asphalt Recycling

When existing asphalt is removed, the material is usually loaded onto dump trucks and transported to a central processing facility. When it is processed, RAP is crushed, screened, conveyed and stacked. The majority of pavement is processed this way for recycling, but there are exceptions. On some sites, the pavement is pulverized in place, mixed with other materials and reused immediately.

Asphalt Reuse

According to the National Asphalt Paving Association, “RAP reduces the amount of virgin asphalt cement needed for construction and repaving. As a result, natural resources are conserved and projects are less vulnerable to market fluctuations for raw materials.” The association estimates that in 2019 alone, RAP use had these positive impacts on the environment. 

• 2.4 Million Metric Tons – The amount of CO2e spared from the atmosphere in 2019 through the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in new mixtures
• 89.2 Million Tons – The amount of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) recycled into new mixes in 2019
• 94% –  The percentage of asphalt mixture reclaimed from old asphalt pavements and put back to use in new pavements in 2019.
• 921,000 Tons – The amount of recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) put to use into asphalt mixes in 2019
• 24 Million Barrels –  The amount of virgin asphalt binder that was replaced by recycled binder from RAP and RAS in 2019 1  

As we celebrate America Recycles Day this week, we want to recognize the innovative practices of the paving industry. We can all benefit from reducing waste, conserving energy and saving money. 

At Tibbs Paving, we participate in asphalt recycling, bringing our milled asphalt to plants for reuse. We’re proud to be part of an industry that finds solutions to preserve our environment. We strive to be good corporate citizens and pave the way for a greener future. To learn more about pavement recycling for your next project, contact us at (703) 844-9805 or on our website. 

1 Recycling. ApshaltPaving.org. https://www.asphaltpavement.org/expertise/

sustainability/sustainability-resources/recycling