Green, Lean Recycling Machine
BY AsphaltPro Staff
Bill Stanley of American Pavement Specialists, Danbury, Connecticut, has been in the asphalt industry long enough to have seen the evolution of recycled asphalt product (RAP) firsthand. The emergence of asphalt milling several decades ago, he said, “completely changed the entire industry.”
“Originally, milling was a better way to overlay an existing road or highway,” he said. “You could remove the top oxidized material from the surface and lower the roadway without adjusting the aprons, curbs and all the hardware in the roadway.”
The procedure quickly became an industry standard and soon the industry had an abundance of RAP ready and waiting for reuse. “It started at 3 to 5%,” Bill recalled. “Fast forward to today where you can literally make hot asphalt with 100% RAP.” He believes projects that are deemed ‘temporary’ offer a perfect opportunity for 100% recycled asphalt.
The use of high RAP content materials also bolsters our industry’s image. “[The sustainability aspect of our Mountain Road project] is important for us because we feel this environmentally friendly process can hopefully shine a light on our industry,” Matt said. “The more we get the word out, the more we can break down the perception that our industry is dirty and not eco-friendly.”