Of all the materials recycled in the United States, nothing is recycled as consistently as asphalt pavement mixture. The latest survey of asphalt mix producers finds that more than 99% of the asphalt pavement material removed from roads and parking lots in 2017 was put back to productive use.
ForConstructionPros.com explains that asphalt pavement mixture producers continue to apply technologies and innovations to make long-lasting asphalt pavements more energy-efficient to produce and more resource responsible.
Nearly 39 percent of asphalt pavement mixture produced in 2017 was produced as warm-mix asphalt at reduced temperatures, which decreases energy demands, reduces air emissions, and improves compaction at cooler temperatures.
The survey of the U.S. asphalt pavement mixture production industry has been conducted for each construction season since 2009 by the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Over the years, the survey has documented increases in the use of recycled materials and warm-mix asphalt.
Asphalt mix producers continue to make significant use of energy-saving warm-mix asphalt technologies. In 2017, 147.4 million tons of warm-mix asphalt was produced at reduced temperatures — nearly 39 percent of total asphalt pavement mix production, and a 777 percent increase since 2009.