PAVING THE ROAD TO A GREENER FUTURE

Much Asphalt is no stranger to recycling.

Reclaimed asphalt comes from old roads that are being reconstructed and day-to-day manufacturing waste. It is crushed and screened before being used again to produce fresh material. New asphalt containing up to 40% reclaimed product has been manufactured. A reduced need for “fresh” raw materials means less aggregate mined from quarries and lower input of virgin bitumen derived from crude oil.

Since 2012, Much Asphalt has used 106 865 tonnes of reclaimed asphalt, equivalent to more than 101 500 tonnes of aggregate that wasn’t mined and 5 343 tonnes of bitumen that didn’t have to be refined. Asphalt recycling in the industry has been so successful that the South African Road Federation has made it part of its tender requirements. For many contracts, the inclusion of recycled product is compulsory for the construction of new roads.

Interesting facts

• Asphalt is among the most recycled materials in the world

• Aggregate and bitumen can be used and reused many times (the industry talks about a “perpetual pavement”, which is a very green concept!)

• Much Asphalt owns and operates four mobile reclaimed asphalt processing units