Conservation of natural resources and bitumen saving

Pavement recycling offers conservation of natural resources and bitumen saving, energy saving, environmental protection and reduction of construction cost. 

The conservation of natural resources for road aggregate production, particularly of hard and durable aggregates for surfacing, is a serious matter particularly for countries that do not possess sufficient reserves of such materials. Even for countries that do possess sufficient reserves, the use of RA lengthens the exploitation period of the existing quarries and delays the opening of new ones in some cases, it is a difficult task because of the strict environmental rules imposed. 

Needless to say, for countries possessing no natural resources for road aggregate production, the use of RA is also beneficial since it reduces the cost of asphalts owing to the incorporation of less amount of expensive new aggregate in the mix. 

The use of RA decreases bitumen consumption. An asphalt concrete usually requires 4.5% to 5.5% bitumen by weight of mix. A recycled asphalt concrete requires additional bitumen usually between 1% and 3%, by weight of mix. From the above, a certain amount of bitumen is saved, which is, on average, on the order of 3.0% by weight of mix, that is. 

Source EAPA, Asphalt in figures, http //www.eapa.org, 2012. 

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