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Archive for the ‘Recycled Asphalt’ Category

Asphalt is America’s Most Recycled Material

Friday, June 21st, 2013

Believe it or not, asphalt is America’s most recycled material! In fact, asphalt pavement is now being recycled and reused at a rate over 99%.

“Every year, approximately 73 million tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) are reused, or nearly twice as much as the combined total of 40 million tons of recycled paper, glass, aluminum and plastics,” said Mike Acott, former president of the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA).

Recycled Asphalt

This is great news, because there is a lot of asphalt out there and, despite being incredibly durable, your asphalt pavement will not last forever. Around 3-5 years, asphalt will begin to show its first cracks. Around 5-7 years, asphalt will need its first patch. Then around 15-20 years, asphalt will need to be replaced. Fortunately, “asphalt is a 100% recyclable material,” according to Dr. Zhanping You, P.E., Ph.D., professor of transportation engineering and materials at Michigan Technological University.

Benefits of Recycled Asphalt

  1. In 2011, 66.7 million tons of RAP was collected in the United States for use in new pavement.
  2. The use of RAP in 2011 translates to a saving of 21.2 million barrels of liquid asphalt binder and $2.2 billion.
  3. RAP does not leach petroleum into the earth.
  4. Asphalt pavement has a small carbon footprint. “When determining the carbon footprint of anything, it’s important to count everything, and to make sure you don’t count anything twice,” said Dr. Howard Marks of the Asphalt Pavement Alliance. “Both initial construction and a 50-year life-cycle were analyzed. In all cases, the carbon footprints of the asphalt pavements were found to be less than 30 percent of equivalent Portland cement concrete pavements.”
  5. In 2011, 19% of all asphalt produced in the country was made using warm-mix asphalt (WMA).

From production to paving to rehabilitation to recycling, asphalt pavements minimize impact on the environment.

If you have any questions about Asphalt, America’s Most Recycled Material, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! You can check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Asphalt Pavement Deterioration: Maryland DC, & Virginia Asphalt Contractor

Friday, September 14th, 2012

Asphalt is used everywhere, from roads and parking lots to runways and more. And why not? Asphalt boasts several benefits, including:

  • Asphalt has excellent waterproofing properties.
  • Asphalt has excellent binding (or cementing) properties to hold the aggregates in the pavement.
  • Asphalt pavement has a long life & resurfacing is quick.
  • Asphalt is America’s most recycled material.
  • Asphalt is the most sustainable and environmentally-friendly pavement on the market.
  • And more!

Still, asphalt has a few major deficiencies as well. Asphalt has very poor resistance to weathering and is easily attacked by chemicals, gasoline, oils, and deicing salts. All of these elements work together to break down the asphalt, degrading the asphaltic oils from the surface as chemicals dissolve them away. And with the loss of asphalt cement, the aggregates in the top layer begin unraveling and develop the first sign of pavement deterioration; the appearance of minor surface cracks.

Over time, cracking will become more prevalent. And if not repaired, these cracks will allow water to penetrate sub-base and base layers, causing them to lose their ability to effectively bear traffic loads. Eventually, this will cause the asphalt pavement to fail.

To prevent further erosion of your asphalt pavement, or to fix a problem so it does not get any worse before winter, call PTG Enterprises for a property evaluation. You can expect a fair proposal, professionalism and quality work.  A good contractor is hard to find!

Discover the difference with PTG Enterprises!

If you have any further questions, please contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of Maryland, DC, and Virginia pavement projects and have the experience you need.

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Black is the New Green :: Asphalt Pavement and Sustainability

Friday, August 24th, 2012

As Americans become increasingly concerned with the concept of Going Green, environmentally sustainable pavements are also rising in popularity. Fortunately, the asphalt pavement industry has been working for decades on making its pavement greener.

  1. Asphalt is America’s most recycled material.
  2. Asphalt is the most sustainable and environmentally-friendly pavement on the market.
  3. While production of asphalt pavement material increased by 250% between 1960 and 1999, total emissions decreased by 97%.
  4. Warm mix asphalt reduces the demand for energy in the production and construction of pavements.
  5. Asphalt is a low carbon footprint pavement.
  6. Asphalt pavement has a long life & resurfacing is quick.
  7. Porous pavement helps improve stormwater management.

From production to paving to rehabilitation to recycling, asphalt pavements minimize impact on the environment.

If you have any further questions about Asphalt Pavement or if you have a project that you need completed, then contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today! The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of Maryland, DC, and Virginia pavement projects and have the experience you need.

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Can Asphalt be Recycled? My Pavement Guy Answers Frequently Asked Questions

Friday, July 13th, 2012

Not only can asphalt be recycled, but it is America’s most recycled and reused material, with about 70 million tons of asphalt pavement material being reclaimed! In fact, asphalt is being recycled and reused at a rate over 99 percent, which is amazing, especially when you consider that 94% of the paved roads in America are surfaced with asphalt.

A study conducted by the National Asphalt Pavement Association – titled Asphalt Pavement Mix Production Survey: 2009-2010 (NAPA Information Series 138) – examined the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), recycled asphalt shingles (RAS), and warm-mix asphalt (WMA) between 2009 and 2010. The report found that RAP, RAS, and WMA…

  1. Conserve raw materials
  2. Conserve energy
  3. Cut emissions from production and paving operations
  4. Improve conditions for workers

To view/download the full report Asphalt Pavement Mix Production Survey: 2009-2010, click here.

More Facts about Asphalt and the Environment

  • Between 1960 and 1999, while production of asphalt pavement material increased by 250 percent, total emissions from our operations decreased by 97%.
  • Asphalt is an environmentally sustainable pavement.
  • Once constructed, asphalt pavements have minimal impact on the environment. Studies show that asphalt pavements and stockpiles of reclaimed asphalt pavement do not leach.
  • Asphalt and the processes used to produce asphalt are green.
  • Asphalt pavements require about 20 percent less energy to produce and construct than other pavements.
  • Porous asphalt pavements offer a tool for storm water management with both environmental and economic benefits.
  • Warm-mix asphalt reduces fuel consumption, cuts greenhouse gas emissions, and enhances the quality of pavement.
  • Porous asphalt pavements have been shown to lower nighttime surface temperatures as compared to impervious pavements.
  • Asphalt pavements are faster to construct and rehabilitate.

If you have any further questions about Recycled Asphalt or if you have a project that you need completed, then contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today! The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of Maryland, DC, and Virginia pavement projects and have the experience you need.

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Asphalt and the Environment

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

Believe it or not, asphalt is actually not bad for the environment. Don’t believe me, then check out the facts:

  • Between 1960 and 1999, while production of asphalt pavement material increased by 250 percent, total emissions from our operations decreased by 97%.
  • Asphalt is an environmentally sustainable pavement.
  • Once constructed, asphalt pavements have minimal impact on the environment. Studies show that asphalt pavements and stockpiles of reclaimed asphalt pavement do not leach.
  • Asphalt and the processes used to produce asphalt are green.
  • Asphalt pavements require about 20 percent less energy to produce and construct than other pavements.
  • Asphalt pavement is America’s most recycled product, with about 70 million tons of asphalt pavement material being reclaimed. And more than 99% of that total is reused or recycled. In 2010 alone, asphalt recycling conserved over 20.5 million barrels of asphalt binder.
  • Porous asphalt pavements offer a tool for storm water management with both environmental and economic benefits.
  • Warm-mix asphalt reduces fuel consumption, cuts greenhouse gas emissions, and enhances the quality of pavement.
  • Porous asphalt pavements have been shown to lower nighttime surface temperatures as compared to impervious pavements.
  • Asphalt pavements are faster to construct and rehabilitate.

If you have any further questions, contact an experienced asphalt company today – a company like PTG Enterprises. The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of pavement projects and have the experience you need. So contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today!

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Sources:

Environment, Health, and Safety

Asphalt, The Sustainable Pavement

An Overview of the Different Types of Asphalt

Friday, February 10th, 2012

Asphalt is the most versatile pavement material, with mixes designed to handle any size load (from passenger cars to heavy trucks), absorb noise, reduce splash and spray during rainstorms, and even to help treat rainwater. The different types of asphalt pavement include:

Warm-Mix Asphalt: This is the generic name of the technology that allows producers of hot-mix asphalt to lower the temperatures at which the material is mixed and placed on the road. This afford asphalt contractors many benefits, including:

•      Increasing safety for asphalt workers

•      Cutting fuel consumption

•      Decreasing the production of greenhouse gases

•      Better compaction of pavements

•      Extending the paving season

•      And the potential to be able to recycle at higher rates

Quiet Pavement: Today’s busy world is filled with more noise than one typically cares to deal with. But quiet pavement actually reduces the noise experienced both inside and outside homes and businesses. Resurfacing a noisy road with stone-matrix asphalt (SMA) or open-graded friction course (OGFC) mix can reduce noise by 3 to 5 dB(A) or more (the same as doubling the distance between you and the noise source).

Porous Asphalt: These pavement surfaces allow rainwater to drain through the asphalt into a stone recharge bed and then into the soil, eliminating potentially harmful standing water.

Perpetual Pavement: This advanced, multi-layer paving design process (along with routine asphalt maintenance) extends the useful life of a roadway.

Whether on the road, in a parking lot, or at an airport, asphalt pavements add up to the best value for your pavement needs, with the lowest life cycle cost and the highest residual value. 

If you have any further questions, contact an experienced asphalt company today – a company like PTG Enterprises. The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of pavement projects and have the experience you need. So contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today!

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Sources:

Types of Asphalt Pavement

Recycled Asphalt Pavement: What You Probably didn’t know About Asphalt

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

Here is something you probably don’t know about asphalt. It is America’s most recycled material. That’s right. Not aluminum cans or plastic bottles…asphalt! In fact, asphalt pavement is now being recycled and reused at a rate over 99%. In 2010 alone, asphalt recycling conserved over 20.5 million barrels of asphalt binder.

Here are a few highlights from the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s (NAPA) report titled, Asphalt Pavement Mix Production Survey: 2009-2010 (NAPA Information Series 138):

Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP): With 96% of asphalt contractors and asphalt companies using RAP, the amount of RAP used in asphalt pavement was 56.0 million tons in 2009 and 62.1 million tons in 2010. This represents over 3 million tons of asphalt binder conserved over that time.

Warm-mix asphalt (WMA): Total tonnage of WMA is estimated at 19.2 million tons in 2009 and 47.6 million tons in 2010, a 148% increase in that one year alone.

RAP and WMA conserve raw materials; conserve energy; cut emissions from production and paving operations; and improve conditions for workers.

To view/download the full report Asphalt Pavement Mix Production Survey: 2009-2010click here.

To view/download State-by-State Use of RAP and WMA, click here.

If you have any further questions, contact an experienced asphalt company today – a company like PTG Enterprises. The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of pavement projects and have the experience you need. So contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today!

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

Check us out on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Sources:

New FHWA Survey Finds Asphalt Recycling Reaches 99 Percent; Warm Mix Usage Skyrockets National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA)