According to the latest industry survey by the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the asphalt industry reclaimed 97 million tons of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) for future use, saving enough landfill space to fill up the dome of the U.S. Capitol 1,223 times.
“NAPA and its members are committed to building and maintaining our country’s infrastructure with the utmost goal of recycling, sustainability, and concern for our environment and resources while providing the smoothest, quietest, safest and most perpetual pavement surface available,” said NAPA Chairman Jay Winford Jr.
Of the 97 million tons of RAP reclaimed, contractors reused 89.2 million tons in new asphalt pavements in 2019. This is a nearly 8.5% increase from the 2018 construction season and represents a nearly 59.3% increase from the total estimated tons of RAP used in 2009, when this annual survey was first conducted.
For the first time, the survey evaluated greenhouse gas emissions, finding RAP usage saved 2.4 million metric tons of CO2e, the equivalent of removing 520,000 passenger vehicles from the road.
More than 200 companies with 1,101 plants in 48 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and one U.S. territory participated in the survey.