Many construction companies have been using recycled materials for years. Among various construction materials, concretes are mainly used for recycling. In line with that, you might be curious as to what happens to the scraps of concrete that construction companies haul away.
If we trace back to the past, leftover construction materials would have been thrown in the trash. However, with the rise of recycling machines and innovative technology, many contractors often find new uses for such trash.
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Understanding Recycled Aggregates
There will always be scraps left over from any building project, regardless of the type of materials used. Some materials used in building, such as asphalt, stone, gravel, and sand, may end up as waste. For the past few years, people would throw away these surplus items in the landfill, compounding the difficulty for trash collectors. But now, a more effective strategy of recycling and reusing these leftovers is available.
An aggregate compound is produced and ready to be used in another construction job by crushing and mixing the waste products.
Uses of Recycled Aggregates
When properly processed, recycled materials are just as valuable as new ones. For this reason, recycled concrete can be used for many purposes, such as gravelling and paving.
Recycled aggregates Colchester are a viable option for paving walkways and driveways. Aside from that, it can also be used to construct a porous road that can be flooded easily by rain. Recycled aggregates, such as concrete, are also a good base for asphalt if it is crushed into smaller pieces.
Furthermore, they can also form a canal bed, which is used to conceal utility pipes and lines. Recycled aggregates in Colchester can be used in place of new materials.
Where Do Recycled Aggregates Are Used?
Concrete has been the material of choice by many civil engineers and contractors worldwide for a long time. It is favoured because it needs fewer repairs, lasts longer, and performs better. Furthermore, smaller buildings are demolished, and larger ones are built yearly under the pretence of “rapid urbanization.”
Concrete scraps after demolition are often discarded without any thought given to their potential reuse. And this usually results in fertility loss in the soil. This is when recycled aggregates become handy.
Here are some instances where you can use recycled aggregates:
RAC production also generates numerous by-products that can be used for various purposes, such as asphalt filler, concrete addition, ground improvement material, and more.
Using recycled concrete aggregates as the course material is an environmentally-friendly and sustainable option.
Revetments can be constructed using large crushed aggregates to prevent soil erosion.
Recycled aggregates help create paved gutters and other similar projects.
Final Thoughts
Materials such as wood, mud, clay, glass, stone, brick, steel, and concrete are used in the construction industry. However, cement concrete still dominates the construction materials market. Considering that concrete is adaptable and suitable in the face of environmental change, it must be manufactured in a way that allows it to save money, protect the environment, and conserve resources.
Considering that aggregates make up 75% of the concrete material, recycling them can be a promising option. Therefore, many contractors turn any form of construction waste into recycled aggregates and use them for a new purpose.
