Reclaimed asphalt pavement is one of the most common recycled materials in the US. Each year, thousands of tons of asphalt pavement are reclaimed and recycled. The majority of reclaimed asphalt comes from roads. It’s a material that’s easy to recycle, and the recycling process is cost-effective.

How Does the Asphalt Recycling Process Work?

Asphalt is a mix of aggregates and cement. Common aggregates include materials like sand, gravel, and crushed rocks. In some cases, asphalt also contains recycled materials like rubber tires or the byproducts of iron and steel manufacturing.

The binder that keeps the aggregates together is a mix of hydrocarbons. Bitumen is a common type of cement used for asphalt. These hydrocarbons are formed when petroleum is distilled to make gasoline or oil. It’s a natural byproduct of that reaction, and making asphalt prevents these hydrocarbons from being wasted.

When an old driveway is removed, or asphalt is removed from a road, it’s crushed and filtered at a recycling plant. Processes like pulverization and milling allow recycling plants to crush asphalt aggregates to the desired size and achieved a specific texture for reclaimed asphalt.

The asphalt recycling process separates the aggregates and the binders. Each element is recycled separately before being remixed to form recycled asphalt. It’s possible to add new materials at this stage, but a lot of recycling plants produce asphalt entirely from recycled materials.

There are several advantages associated with recycling asphalt. It’s an effective way of protecting the environment and preventing hydrocarbons from ending up in landfills.

The cost of a new asphalt driveway depends on the size of the area that needs to be covered. Recycled asphalt paving is an affordable way, compared to concrete and other options, which is why it’s popular for driveway paving.

Whether you have a large commercial parking lot or a large rural driveway, Recycled Asphalt can look great and last for many years, while being a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution. Recycled Asphalt is asphalt that has been removed from our roadways its then crushed and processed at a facility; once this process has been completed the Recycled Asphalt is ready for use.