Asphalt pavements are one of our greatest renewable resources
Asphalt is 100% re-usable and the most recycled and re-used construction product.
Reclaimed asphalt contains a lot of bitumen, and reheating and reusing it is very achievable. Therefore reclaimed asphalt is a valuable raw material when the bitumen - the most expensive component of asphalt – can be reused and enhanced to reach similar performance levels as new material. For these reasons reusing reclaimed asphalt produces considerable savings, especially if the transportation distances of the reclaimed old asphalt are reasonably short.
The Waste Framework Directive (WFD) requires Member States (MS) to take any necessary measures to achieve a minimum target of 70% (by weight) of Construction & Demolition waste by 2020 for preparation for re-use, recycling and other material recovery, including backfilling operations using non-hazardous C&D waste to substitute other materials.
Asphalt is the only construction product that already meets this 70% European requirement.
From:
Sustainable asphalt – Recycling; The Nordic Road Forum, NVF, 5/2012
Service Contract on Management of Construction and Demolition Waste-SR1, Final Report, February 2011, A project under the Framework contract ENV.G.4/ FRA/2008/0112, Bio Intelligence Service.
