Skip to main content

Recycled pavement use rises again in the US, according to NAPA

Recycled asphalt use is growing in some markets - David Arminas writes. The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement in the US increased during 2013 after two years of no rise, according the latest report from the US National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA). The report found that more than 73 million tonnes of reclaimed asphalt pavement and 1.7 million tons of reclaimed asphalt roofing shingles were used in new asphalt pavement mixes in the US during in 2013. Using recycled asphalt material saved about $2 bill
March 5, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
Recycled asphalt paving is a useful and valuable material for road construction
Recycled asphalt use is growing in some markets - David Arminas writes

The use of reclaimed asphalt pavement in the US increased during 2013 after two years of no rise, according the latest report from the US 3464 National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA). The report found that more than 73 million tonnes of reclaimed asphalt pavement and 1.7 million tons of reclaimed asphalt roofing shingles were used in new asphalt pavement mixes in the US during in 2013.

Using recycled asphalt material saved about $2 billion in 2013 over the use of virgin materials, the report noted.

The use of recycled material is one of several topics discussed at a major conference (7924 PPRS 2015) on road asset maintenance in Paris, the Pavement Preservation and Recycling Summit from February 22-25.

The NAPA/FHWA report said that the number of tonnes of asphalt pavement mixtures produced using recycled and reclaimed materials was predominately flat from 2012 to 2013. This is despite a 2.5% drop in total tonnes of asphalt produced during 2013 compared to 2012.

However, the percentage of tonnes produced using these materials was slightly greater in 2013 than 2012.

The survey was conducted in mid-2014 by NAPA under contract to the 2410 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The report was compiled using results from 249 companies with 1,281 plants in all 50 US states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Also used was information from asphalt pavement associations in 38 states.

A full copy of the NAPA/FHWA report can be downloaded from www.AsphaltPavement.org/recycling.

The issue of saving money but at the same time maintaining road assets is one of the most important discussions globally, especially during these austere times where governments at all levels are seeing budgets drastically reduced. But roads must be maintained or the wider economy will suffer.

“Insufficient maintenance has created a backlog and is affecting service levels,” said Jean-Francois Corte, secretary general of the World Road Association (PIARC), based in Paris.

“What’s needed right now is at least a medium-term vision to embrace the right type of maintenance, a strong strategy. Because there has been insufficient maintenance, road networks are degrading faster. Many highways authorities don’t have this medium- or long-term approach to highway maintenance because they are bound by their government’s annual budgets.”

Attendees to the Pavement Preservation and Recycling Summit in Paris will learn how, during these exacting times, to put the business case forward to ensure more investment is there when and where it is needed. Speakers at the event include Bud Wright, executive director of the 3510 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and William Finerty, a vice-president of 178 Caterpillar.

A recent publication by 3141 PIARC, called The Importance of Road Maintenance, is available as a %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 oLinkExternal free download The Importance of Road Maintenance free download PIARC false http://www.piarc.org/en/publications/technical-reports/ false false%> on the PIARC website.

Related Content

  • Hitachi to place “greater emphasis” on local production focus – HCME president
    January 6, 2017
    Moriaki Kadoya, president and chief executive of Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe (HCME), says Hitachi Construction Machinery needs to place “greater emphasis” on establishing local production facilities as it bids to strengthen its market position. A subsidiary of the Hitachi Group, Hitachi Construction Machinery currently has 33 production sites worldwide – with 16, including its flagship production site near Tokyo, in Japan.
  • Hitachi to place “greater emphasis” on local production focus – HCME president
    February 26, 2013
    Moriaki Kadoya, president and chief executive of Hitachi Construction Machinery Europe (HCME), says Hitachi Construction Machinery needs to place “greater emphasis” on establishing local production facilities as it bids to strengthen its market position. A subsidiary of the Hitachi Group, Hitachi Construction Machinery currently has 33 production sites worldwide – with 16, including its flagship production site near Tokyo, in Japan.
  • US: Missouri state bridge repairs run out of gas
    September 11, 2015
    The US state of Missouri said it is fighting a losing battle to maintain its 641 bridges that are listed in critical condition - one-step away from being closed to traffic. Engineers in the southern state’s department of transportation said around US$820 million is needed to repair or replace the 641 bridges, three of which were closed to traffic last year. The critical list has expanded with the addition of 50 more bridges since last year. And the critical list is expected to grow to around 1,500 bri
  • CDE’s new German focus
    January 6, 2017
    CDE Global has formed CDE GmbH trading as CDE Deutschland, which has developed from a distribution agreement for southern Germany that was in place between CDE Global and Jurgen Kolsch. The move sees Stefan Kolsch and Sean McCusker assume roles as directors in the new company, which will have exclusive responsibility for the sales, distribution, project management and after sales and service elements of the CDE business in Germany.