Did you know that asphalt pavements are among the most recycled materials in the United States? Each year, recycling asphalt helps American taxpayers save billions of dollars. According to the statistics from the USA Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), asphalt pavement has a recycling rate of over 90%.
Asphalt is regarded as a highly sustainable product not only because it can be recycled endlessly but also because it makes use of numerous materials that would otherwise be disposed of in landfills. The asphalt mixture incorporates materials like glass, foundry sand, slags, and even pig manure, conserving hundreds of acres of landfill space. Luckily for you, we at DTG Recycle can match the quality of those asphalt pavement created from virgin materials.
As a leading recycling company since 1999, DTG Recycle provides customized debris solutions and recycling services for you. Preserve our environment and make a cleaner, healthier place to live in by recycling your asphalt.
Asphalt Recycling Center
Protect Our Environment. Recycle Your Asphalt Today!
At DTG Recycle, we utilize advanced sorting technologies to recognize and efficiently sort materials. DTG Recycle has Asphalt Recycling Centers all over Washington State. You may also drop off your asphalt at our locations. Contact us for a price quote for asphalt recycling.
Want to know more about the proper way of asphalt disposal, its recycling process, and the types of recyclable asphalt? Contact us below!
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How to Dispose of Asphalt for Recycling?
To dispose of asphalt for recycling, you can drop it off at an asphalt recycling center or arrange for a pickup by a collection and removal service. You can also rent a dumpster from us to dispose of your asphalt.
Types of Recyclable Asphalt
- Porous Asphalt: allows water to penetrate and seep through the pavement, reducing the risk of flooding and enhancing water quality.
- Warm Mix Asphalt: produced at lower temperatures, reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
- Cold Mix Asphalt: produced and applied at ambient temperatures, eliminating the need for heating and reducing energy consumption.
- Rubberized Asphalt: made with recycled rubber, improving pavement durability and reducing noise levels.
- Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP): made by reusing old asphalt pavement material, reducing debris, and conserving natural resources.
How to Recycle Asphalt?
Recycling asphalt helps to conserve natural resources and reduce debris while also providing cost savings for pavement construction and maintenance. In this process, the old asphalt material is collected, crushed, and mixed with new materials to create a recycled asphalt mixture.
1. Milling
Asphalt milling is the process of removing a layer of asphalt from a paved surface, such as a road or parking lot, by grinding or cutting it away. The removed material, called “millings,” can be recycled and used in other paving projects or processed further to create new asphalt. Milling is typically done with specialized equipment that grinds the surface to a specific depth and collects the debris for disposal or recycling. This process can help restore a surface’s smoothness, levelness, and skid resistance, as well as extend the pavement’s lifespan.
The specialized equipment used in asphalt milling for recycling purposes typically includes a milling machine, which is a self-propelled unit equipped with a large rotating drum that grinds and removes the existing asphalt surface. These machines can vary in size and complexity, depending on the project’s scope and the type of milling required.
2. Stockpiling Asphalt Materials
When asphalt material is removed from the road and not used immediately, stockpiling of recycled asphalt becomes an essential part of the recycling process. It’s crucial to take great care when stockpiling recycled asphalt material to ensure the full benefits of comprehensive material testing are not lost. Depending on the variability found during testing, it might be necessary to build separate stockpiles of materials taken from different sections of a road. When each load arrives at storage, it’s important to record the details, including the type and amount of material, place of origin, and any undesirable contaminants.
To prevent caking under the influence of generated heat, the stockpiled recycled asphalt pavement should not be piled higher than 3m. Additionally, asphalt scheduled for regeneration should either be covered with a layer of sand or kept under a roof to prevent water penetration. It’s also recommended to remove any 250 to 300mm crust that may form at the surface of the stockpile prior to recycling. Finally, to prevent any unauthorized dumping of other types of debris, it’s essential to ensure that storage areas or collection points are not accessible to the public.
3. Mixing Asphalt Millings in an Asphalt Recycler
The milled asphalt material is then mixed with new asphalt binder and aggregate in an asphalt recycler. The recycler heats the old asphalt material to soften it and then mixes it with the new materials to create a recycled asphalt mixture. The recycled asphalt mixture is then transported to the construction site for use in pavement construction. There are 2 main methods of asphalt recycling: hot recycling and cold recycling.
Hot recycling, also known as hot in-place recycling (HIR), is a process that involves heating the existing pavement to a high temperature (up to 350°F) to soften the asphalt. Once the pavement is heated, it is scarified and mixed with new asphalt and/or aggregate, then compacted to create a new, durable surface. This method is typically used for pavements with deeper structural damage and can be done with either a train or single-unit method.
Cold recycling, on the other hand, is a process that involves milling off the top layer of the existing pavement and mixing it with new asphalt and/or aggregate at ambient temperatures. The new mixture is then laid back down and compacted to create a new surface. Cold recycling is typically used for pavements with less structural damage and is often used as a preventative maintenance measure. This method can be done on-site or off-site and can be further categorized as either in-place cold recycling or central plant cold recycling.
4. Screening and Sizing
After the recycled asphalt mixture is produced, it is screened and sized to ensure that it meets the required specifications for the pavement construction project. The recycled asphalt mixture is tested for various properties, such as strength, durability, and workability, to ensure that it will perform well in the final pavement structure.
Are there Other Methods of Recycling Asphalt?
Full-depth recycling (FDR) is a process of recycling an existing asphalt pavement into a new base layer, using the old pavement material as the primary component. FDR involves the pulverization of the existing asphalt pavement and the incorporation of an engineered binding agent or asphalt emulsion to create a new, strong, and durable base course layer.
The process is typically done in place, eliminating the need to remove the old asphalt pavement, which reduces debris and the transportation of materials to and from the job site. FDR is commonly used on heavily traveled roads that require a strong and long-lasting pavement structure. The process has proven to be an effective and economical solution for rehabilitating deteriorated pavements while also providing a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to road construction and maintenance.
Why Recycle Asphalt?
- Reduces the need for virgin materials
- Conserves natural resources
- Decreases landfill debris
- Lowers carbon footprint
- Saves energy during the production process
- Cost-effective
- Improves pavement performance and durability
- Reduces road noise
- Supports sustainable infrastructure development
Statistics on Asphalt Recycling
Asphalt pavement has a recycling rate of over 90%
According to statistics from the USA Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycling of asphalt pavement has been the most popular recycling method for more than 20 years. With approximately 90%-99% recycling rate, asphalt pavement is considered as the most recycled product in the U.S., easily beating materials like aluminum, which is more often associated with recycling. 1
Asphalt recycling rate continues to increase over the years...
- In 2021, about 2.6 million metric tons was the amount of CO2 emissions spared from the atmosphere through the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement in new mixtures. 2
- The amount of asphalt mixture recycled from old asphalt pavements and reused in new pavements was 95% in 2021, which increased from 93% in the previous year. 2
- In 2021, approximately 630,000 tons of recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) was put to use into asphalt mixtures, an 8% increase over the previous year. 2
Need a Quote? Contact Us for Asphalt Recycling Prices
Get a quote for your asphalt recycling needs, contact us today at (425) 549-3000. Our team at DTG Recycle is happy to cater to all of your asphalt recycling requirements. Whether you require regular asphalt recycling drop-offs or a one-time service, we are committed to providing our customers with affordable and personalized recycling solutions that meet their unique requirements.
Asphalt Recycling Drop-off Locations
DTG Recycle has Asphalt Recycling Centers near you.
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FAQs for Asphalt Recycling Service
Where can I recycle asphalt?
Asphalt can be recycled at most recycling centers, as well as at curbside pickup programs in many areas. Check with your local recycling program for specific guidelines on how to recycle asphalt in your area.
Can I make money by recycling asphalt?
Yes, it is possible to make money by recycling asphalt. In fact, recycling asphalt can be a profitable business venture. The recycled asphalt can be sold to contractors and paving companies who need it for new projects, and some recycling companies may even offer pickup and removal services for the old asphalt. Additionally, recycling asphalt can also lead to cost savings for municipalities and other organizations that need to repair or resurface roads. While starting an asphalt recycling business may require some initial investment in equipment and facilities, it can potentially yield a steady stream of income over time.
How many times can asphalt be recycled?
Asphalt can be recycled an infinite number of times. With each cycle of recycling, however, the quality of the recovered asphalt could decline. The asphalt binder, an essential element of the asphalt mix, is breaking down, which is the cause of the asphalt's deterioration. The original asphalt's quality, the recycling process, and the circumstances surrounding the use of the recycled asphalt will all have an impact on how much the asphalt deteriorates. However, recycling asphalt is still an economical and environmentally responsible approach to reusing used materials.
Does recycled asphalt have better quality than newer asphalt pavement?
Depending on the recycling process used and the original pavement's quality, recycled asphalt may be of a similar or even higher quality than more recent asphalt pavement. Due to its more uniform composition and increased aggregate interlock, recycled asphalt can sometimes perform better than new asphalt in terms of durability when processed properly. It can also meet or surpass the same specifications as new asphalt. It's crucial to remember that not all recycled asphalt is created equal, and the quality might vary based on things like the sort of recycling process, where the recovered material comes from, and the number of impurities present. To ensure that the recycled asphalt satisfies the necessary requirements, it is crucial to hire renowned asphalt recycling facilities and carry out quality testing.
Can asphalt be recycled without moving it from a job site?
The quality of recycled asphalt pavement can vary depending on the specific recycling process and the materials used. Generally, reclaimed (recycled) asphalt can have similar or slightly lower performance characteristics compared to asphalt made from new materials. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) conducted a study that revealed how recycled materials might increase asphalt's sustainability and lessen its environmental impact. Moreover, according to a research paper, it was discovered that using reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25%. 3 Utilizing recycled asphalt can also help save natural resources by lowering the quantity of debris that is dumped in landfills.
Is recycled asphalt in demand?
Yes, recycled asphalt is in demand for various construction projects. In collaboration with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) conducted an industry survey in 2018 discovering that more than 100 million tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) were collected for reuse, saving about 61.4 million cubic yards of landfill space. According to the study, about 389.3 million tons of new asphalt pavement mixes were made in the U.S. using approximately 82.2 million tons of RAP and 1.05 million tons of recycled asphalt shingles (RAS). 4
What are the uses of recycled asphalt?
There are various uses for recycled asphalt, including:
- Road construction - Recycled asphalt can be used to build new roads or to fix ones that already exist. It is frequently utilized as a subbase or as an ingredient in the asphalt mix.
- Parking lots - Recycled asphalt is an affordable and environmentally friendly solution for building or repairing parking lots.
- Driveways - Recycled asphalt can be used to build or repair driveways, providing a sturdy and sustainable substitute for conventional asphalt.
- Recreational spaces - The development of recreational spaces including bike routes, hiking trails, and sports grounds can be done using recycled asphalt.
- Erosion control - Recycled asphalt can be used for erosion control in areas such as embankments, ditch linings, and stormwater management systems.
- Landscaping - Recycled asphalt can also be used for landscaping purposes, such as in the construction of retaining walls or as a base for patios and walkways.
References
1 Fast Facts: Asphalt Pavement Recycling – Rotochopper. Retrieved June 19, 2023, from https://www.rotochopper.com/resources/fast-facts-asphalt-pavement-recycling/
2 Recycling – National Asphalt Pavement Association. Retrieved June 19, 2023, from https://www.asphaltpavement.org/expertise/sustainability/sustainability-resources/recycling
3 Xiaodan Chen, Hao Wang, Life cycle assessment of asphalt pavement recycling for greenhouse gas emission with temporal aspect, Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 187, 2018, Pages 148-157, ISSN 0959-6526, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.03.207.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652618308783)
4 RAP use in new asphalt pavement at all-time high, according to report. Retrieved June 19, 2023.