ASPHALT FOUND TO BE MOST RECYCLED OF VARIOUS MATERIALS

While most people would suspect aluminum, paper or even glass to be among the most recycled materials, a recent report by the Federal Highway Administration states otherwise. In fact, asphalt is the surprise leader in both percentage and tonnage among those and other materials.

The report shows that 80% of the asphalt pavement that is removed each year during widening and resurfacing projects is reused. The next highest recycled material, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recycling rates, is aluminum cans at 60%, followed by newsprint at 56%, plastic soft drink bottles at 37%, glass bottles at 31% and finally magazines at 23%.

According to the report, about 80 million U.S. tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) are used every year, accounting for 92% of the nation’s highways, roadways, new pavement, roadbeds, shoulders and embankments.

"For every ton of municipal solid waste, our nation generates about 35 tons of nonhazardous industrial solid waste," says Byron Lord, deputy director of the Office of Pavement Technology of the Federal Highway Administration. "Our landfill space would be overwhelmed if it weren’t for large-scale recycling of industrial products such as asphalt pavement. The asphalt paving industry is truly a leader in this respect."

(Recyclingtoday.com News - 5/1/00)