According to the both National Asphalt Pavement Association and the Federal Highway Administration, recycled pavement is the most used recycled material in the country and it is easy to see why. Recycled materials offer a cost effective, environmentally sustainable alternative to using newer cold and hot mix materials. It is also an effective means of generating aspects for LEED certification as well as producing general goodwill and community awareness on the part of the property owner and the material contractor.
The use of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) can represent a significant reduction in transport costs as it can be used in place in both hot and cold mix applications. For those applications in which offsite transport is still necessary such as those requiring milling or crushing, RAP still represents a viable alternative to virgin materials as RAP has already undergone weathering and polishing which reduces the degradation when used in crushing and milling. Thereby reducing material costs as well as providing an acceptable friction resistance. In addition, when used in mixed applications with virgin materials, the overall resulting mix material quality is increased, further reducing costs and providing a benefit to the contractor as to product quality.
Recycled Pavement offers numerous benefits with very low risk to either property owners or contractors and thus should be used whenever possible. By working with a knowledgeable and experienced pavement provider concerning the use of RAP, your business can take the right steps to a cost effective and sustainable future for all.
