Did you know that asphalt is 100% recyclable?

That may seem like a stretch, but the roads that you walk and drive on everyday were most likely another road previously, and will be another road later. Now granted, while 100% of asphalt material is recyclable, only about 95% of road waste is actually used in future projects, but that is still substantially more than just about any other industry. The National Asphalt Pavement Association says asphalt is the most recycled product in North America!
It’s odd to think about any element of construction as something that can be environmentally conscious, but when it comes to the actual blacktop, the literal road surface, construction companies are highly incentivized to save and repurpose unused road materials, and collect and sell old road materials before laying new roads.
‘Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement’ or RAP is the official term for this recycled material, and it’s used in just about every road construction project in recent years. It’s the same components as freshly harvested asphalt, but cheaper and better for the environment.

To give you an interesting number, approximately 75 million tonnes of asphalt material is recycled every year. That is an incredible amount of road surface, and if it wasn’t being repurposed into new roads, it would be in landfills or dumps. Luckily it can find a new home where it can help people.

Asphalt Plant Ariel View.