The Benefits of Concrete Recycling

 

concrete recycling

Don’t let all that unused concrete go to waste!

Here at Reliable Contracting, we recycle several materials whenever we can. Using recycled materials is a great way to help the environment. Not only does it decrease the amount of waste discarded from construction projects but it also preserves many of the resources that go into creating new asphalt, concrete, and other materials. We participate in concrete recycling, which has a number of great benefits for everyone.

The Steps to Concrete Recycling

Traditionally, old concrete was hauled from construction sites and dumped into landfills. Today, many construction companies opt for concrete recycling. First, we gather up the concrete and send it to a crushing machine. The concrete that is to be crushed has to be uncontaminated. This means that it can’t be mixed with wood, paper, or trash. Metals mixed in with concrete are okay, since a magnet can be used to remove the metals to be melted and repurposed elsewhere. After metals are removed from the clean concrete, each piece is sorted by size. The concrete is fed into the crushing machine, which crushes the concrete into small bits to be used elsewhere. Large chunks of concrete may need to be fed into the crushing machine twice. The fine concrete created by the crushing machine is further tested for cleanliness before it is sent to out to be used as an aggregate, as gravel, as riprap, or as landscaping features.

Environmental Benefits

There are so many benefits to concrete recycling. First, concrete is kept out of landfills, which saves crucial space in landfills that are becoming increasingly overburdened. Reusing old concrete that has be reformed into gravel minimizes the need for gravel mining as well as reduces the pollution created by trucks that would be otherwise hauling fresh gravel from a gravel mine to a work site. Finally, recycling one ton of concrete saves about 1,360 gallons water! We’re glad that we can take part in a process that is so environmentally friendly!

ABOUT RELIABLE CONTRACTING

Reliable is dedicated to delivering quality products, displaying professionalism within the firm, seeking new opportunities for expansion and profitability, and providing an environment for individual success. If you have a commercial or residential construction project that you need taken care of, please contact Anne Arundel County’s largest site-work contractor today by calling 410-987-0313 or visiting our website. You can also follow Reliable Contracting on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter!

Reliable Contracting Company serves the following and surrounding counties: Annapolis, Queen Anne’s, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Howard, Prince George, St. Mary’s, Talbot, and Washington D.C.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 15th, 2016 at 5:52 pm. Both comments and pings are currently closed.