What Is Recycled Asphalt?

Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is the material most often used in asphalt recycling, materials from other industries are routinely recycled into asphalt as well.

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From saving energy and water to riding a bike  instead of driving – there are countless ways to go green.

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Even asphalt, of all things, has a green side. Asphalt itself isn’t environmentally friendly, it’s frequently recycled, reducing the amount of asphalt waste. According to the Federal Highway Administration, asphalt is the most recycled material in the country.

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A certain percentage of recycled asphalt can be combined with newer asphalt and is commonly used by municipalities as part of a base or sub base material on highways and roads. Many residential driveway are tarted with recycled asphalt as a base layer before adding the new asphalt on top.

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Recycled asphalt is also used as a su layer on parking lots, gravel road rehabilitation and bike paths.

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According to the Federal Highway Administration, “[Recycled asphalt product] RAP is now routinely accepted in asphalt paving mixtures as an aggregate substitute and as a portion of the binder in nearly all 50 states. Recently developed technology has even made it possible to recycle 90 to 100 percent RAP [recycled asphalt product] in hot mix.”