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

  • Fayat mixes things up at INTERMAT
    April 20, 2015
    Company shows off its new 6-tonne capacity asphalt mixer in Paris, a product aimed at the growing market in recycling and characterised by low energy consumption and high quality output.
  • myPERI online portal presented in detail for first time during bauma
    January 6, 2017
    myPERI online portal will be presented in detail at a major construction equipment industry trade show for the first time during bauma. It gives customers of the internationally-renowned German formwork solution company round-the-clock access to extensive technical information and specific project data for their PERI construction sites. Project-specific reports, which offer, principally, a detailed overview of material stocks and flows, are said to be particularly advantageous for construction work.
  • myPERI online portal presented in detail for first time during bauma
    February 13, 2013
    myPERI online portal will be presented in detail at a major construction equipment industry trade show for the first time during bauma. It gives customers of the internationally-renowned German formwork solution company round-the-clock access to extensive technical information and specific project data for their PERI construction sites. Project-specific reports, which offer, principally, a detailed overview of material stocks and flows, are said to be particularly advantageous for construction work.
  • Cellular Confinement Systems Get “Tough”
    May 10, 2012
    An Interview with PRS-Med’s VP of Business Development and Marketing Hadas Levin by Chris Kelsey The year 1977 has become a watershed year for polymeric construction materials. Dr. J.P. Giroud coined the terms ‘geotextile’ and ‘geomembrane’ in a key paper at the First International Conference on Geosynthetics; and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) published a report on its testing of cellular confinement systems (first undertaken in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1975). The investigations in Mis