A number of commercial operators offer asphalt recycling or road recovery services through in-place and offsite methods. Asphalt recycling is continually developing as the benefits become more widely accepted and other options may soon become available.
The majority of existing asphalt and bituminous materials can be recycled. This brings financial benefits to businesses by reducing the need to purchase raw materials as well reducing the cost of waste transport and disposal. Recycling asphalt also reduces the need to use non-renewable resources such as oil and gravel, reduces waste going to landfill, as well as reducing the emissions created through asphalt processing plants.
Deteriorated asphalt road materials are generally recycled through two processes, in-place recycling (both hot and cold techniques) as well as offsite recycling.
Hot in-place recycling involves softening the surface through heating and then relaying the existing road. Cold in-place recycling involves removing the road to a certain level, pulverising it, mixing it with an additive, then it is laid, compacted and resealed. This process involves no heat and results in greater energy savings.
Offsite recycling involves using recovered asphalt and remixing them at an offsite plant to be reused.
