Asphalt: More Recyclable Than You Think
Did you know that asphalt is the most recycled material on earth? It is a 100% renewable construction resource and it is used in nearly all U.S construction projects. Asphalt is used to create roadways, waterproof surfaces, parking lots, and roof shingles. The U.S produced 420 million tons of asphalt in 2019 alone and housed more than 3,600 asphalt production sites! 99% of the asphalt pavement that is used is recovered every year which protects people, property, and our planet.
Recycled asphalt saves American taxpayers more than $1.8 billion. Recycling the asphalt from an average shingle roof provides enough asphalt to pave 200 feet of a 2 lane highway! Reusing the bitumen also allows for the U.S to be less reliant on foreign oil sources. Using foreign oil sources can be costly, and in 2014 dependence costs ran up to $116 billion! Recycling this asphalt isn’t just monetarily beneficial, it is also great for the planet. Recycling asphalt and bitumen stops 2.4 metric tons of CO2e from entering the atmosphere and is responsible for up to a 61% reduction of greenhouse gasses. Recycling asphalt also prevents 11 tons of shingle waste from entering landfills every year.
We’ve taken a look at the benefits of recycling asphalt and bitumen, so how does this process work?
First, asphalt that is found in shingles is milled and ground into coarse chunks in order to remove any nail debris or other materials that can be found in it post-construction. Shingle chunks are then mixed with a solvent to create a slurry that dissolves the bitumen. Solid waste then sinks to the bottoms while bitumen and the rest of the solvents rise to the surface. The last step is to distill the solution which separates the solvent from the oil, then the solvent is saved and the oil is ready to be reused!
95% of asphalt and bitumen recovery allows for the resale of asphalt, asphalt granules, and bitumen oil. Shingle recovery is a booming business in and of itself. There are more than 50 roofing recovery sites in more than 20 states with a CAGR of 5.9% between 2020 and 2027. States are catching onto the importance of shingle recovery, especially in Vermont where Vermont Act 175 made shingle recycling mandatory. More states are expected to follow in coming years which will be great both for the economy as well as the benefit of the planet.
Learn more about the benefits of recycling asphalt and the asphalt economy in the infographic below:
