The Environmental Benefits of Choosing Asphalt Paving Over Other Materials

Asphalt is an eco-friendly option for paving roads and driveways. Manufacturing requires less energy than other pavement materials, resulting in fewer greenhouse gases and emissions.

Roads constructed with asphalt set quickly and can be reopened to traffic much sooner than other materials, so cars spend less time idling and producing emissions. Asphalt is also impermeable, which helps to protect local water sources.

Less Energy

Asphalt production requires less energy to manufacture and construct than concrete pavements, generating fewer greenhouse gases during manufacturing. Additionally, incorporating reclaimed or recycled materials into asphalt helps keep them out of landfills and reduces resource consumption for fuel, machinery, transportation, and labor.

Technology allows the best paving company near me to lower the temperatures they mix their products, reducing the energy needed. This and asphalt pavements can be laid quickly and efficiently, making them a more sustainable choice.

Smooth roads also save money by lowering vehicle maintenance costs and fuel usage. Plus, increasing the smoothness of a road increases its lifespan by 25%, further saving money. This is why more and more government agencies and private businesses are choosing asphalt for their construction projects.

Fewer Greenhouse Gases

Asphalt is the most recycled material in America, and its popularity is on the rise as more people become concerned about how their paving choices affect the environment. The paving industry is constantly working on ways to reduce the emissions that contribute to climate change and the preservation of the planet, including developing techniques like warm-mix asphalt.

Compared to concrete, HMA construction produces significantly fewer greenhouse gases (GHGs) during paving. This is primarily due to the lower temperature required for production, which results in reduced energy consumption and emission of toxic substances.

Additionally, the darker color of asphalt reduces glare and makes driving safer by reducing strain on drivers’ eyes. It also helps ice and snow melt faster because black surfaces absorb more heat than light colors. This can help reduce ice and snow removal time, which means less shoveling and fewer GHGs. These environmentally friendly characteristics make asphalt the preferred choice for paved roads and parking lots.

Less Waste

One of modern civilization’s biggest challenges is reducing energy consumption and raw materials utilization. The asphalt pavement industry is no exception to this rule; it requires considerable fuel and electricity to operate plants, machinery, and transport raw materials.

Using recycled asphalt is an environmentally friendly option that reduces the new materials needed for your paving project. This also saves you money because you don’t have to pay landfill fees and other associated costs.

Years before sustainability became an important goal for many Americans, the asphalt industry was already recycling old pavement. Asphalt is the most recycled material in the USA, with over 100 million tons reclaimed yearly. Reusing this material saves on quarrying, mining, and oil consumption and keeps millions of tons of waste out of landfills. Using alternative aggregates and modifiers has further reduced the environmental burden of traditional asphalt concretes. The successful incorporation of cigarette butts into asphalt concrete presents another promising solution to managing waste sustainably.

Less Noise

Asphalt paving can reduce highway noise by up to seven decibels, which helps reduce fatigue in vehicles and lessens the need for costly sound barriers. The smooth surface also reduces tire wear and provides easier driving and better fuel economy.

Asphalt pavements require less energy to construct and maintain than other materials. Moreover, their production emits significantly fewer greenhouse gases and less material waste. Additionally, the asphalt industry recycles its products and other materials, such as used tires, glass, and recycled asphalt roofing shingles.

Unlike concrete, which must be removed entirely and replaced when worn out, asphalt can be rehabilitated with rubblization. This repurposes the existing pavement as a base for new construction and saves on the need to produce and transport new aggregates. Asphalt also melts ice and snow faster than concrete, making it safer in winter for drivers. The asphalt industry continues to work toward even more sustainability, including research into warm-mix technology.