Asphalt Pavement is Surprise Leader in Recycling

What's recycled the most? While Americans are accustomed to thinking about recycling their newspapers and beverage containers, the most widely recycled product in terms of both percentage and tonnage is actually asphalt pavement.

A Federal Highway Administration report shows that 80 percent of the asphalt pavement that's removed each year during widening and resurfacing projects is reused. The 80 percent rate for using reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is substantially higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recycling rates of 60 percent for aluminum cans, 56 percent for newsprint, 37 percent for plastic soft drink bottles, 31 percent for glass beverage bottles and 23 percent for magazines.

"Asphalt pavement admittedly isn't prominent on the public's radar screen for recycling. But every year, approximately 73 million tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement are reused, or nearly twice as much as the combined total of 40 million tons of recycled paper, glass, aluminum and plastics," said Mike Acott, president of NAPA. "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."

Asphalt pavement accounts for 92% of the nation's highways and roadways, and RAP is used as part of new pavement, roadbeds, shoulders and embankments. The National Asphalt Pavement Association represents the interests of Hot Mix Asphalt producers and contractors on the national level with Congress, government agencies and other national trade and business organizations. Elements of this story were used with permission from the NAPA.