Benefits Of Recycling Asphalt: What’s The Process Of Recycling?

Asphalt is one of the most commonly recycled materials in the United States.

In fact, according to the National Asphalt Pavement Association, more than 90% of all asphalt pavement material removed from roads is recycled.

Affordable Sealing and Striping shares some of the main benefits of recycling Asphalt, so you can keep that in mind for your next asphalt paving project in Greely, CO.?

Environmentally friendly

The process of asphalt production can affect the environment adversely. Toxins are produced in the environment. Recycled asphalt doesn’t require new oil for construction and material. It’s a great way to conserve natural resources. Mining asphalt is destructive, and a lot of water is used up to make asphalt. Transportation of material also takes up a lot of fuel which is not environmentally friendly. So, what’s better than recycling it?

Economical

Taxpayers can save some money with asphalt recycling. The contractors also save up by minimal raw material and transportation costs. The material and energy are also far less, and the quality of the recycled asphalt is just as good. 

It can be recycled many times, which is very economical compared to mining it from scratch.

How is asphalt recycled?

Although there are many different ways to recycle asphalt like FDR recycling and hot and cold recycling, the basic steps followed during the process are the same:

First step:

Asphalt milling is the first step in the recycling process. a process that has been used for decades to remove old asphalt and prepare a site for new asphalt.

Removing the existing surface is necessary because it results in a level, stable and durable base on which to place the new pavement. It also ensures that any cracks developed in the old asphalt will not be transferred to the new surface.

Second step:

The removed asphalt is shifted to the asphalt plant for screening purposes. It’s also sized here and ready for the next step of recycling.

Third step:

Water and other additives are mixed into the asphalt in a special kind of recycler called the asphalt recycler.

Fourth step:

For hot recycling, it’s heated for about 20 minutes.

For cold recycling, it’s not heated and mixed. This has additional benefits like energy conservation.

Fifth step:

There’s a glue that holds asphalt together called asphalt cement that is reused as a binding agent in the recycling process.

Mineral particles are also generated in the recycling process.

There are several benefits of Recycling Asphalt, and the quality is not compromised in the recycling process, so who’s even thinking of spending their money on asphalt mining? Let’s recycle and save the planet – and of course, our hard-earned money!

At Affordable Sealing and Striping, we offer our customers the chance to opt for recycled asphalt and save their hard-earned dollars in Greeley, CO. We use the material to repair potholes and fix the numerous pavement issues that plague our customers.

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