The ready mixed concrete industry could save approximately $300 million a year and help the environment at the same time through the use of crushed returned concrete as aggregates, says a study by the RMC Research and Education Foundation.
The report, released last month, evaluates the effects of the use of crushed concrete aggregate on fresh and hardened concrete properties by comparing these properties to concretes containing virgin aggregates. It also includes guidance for ready mixed concrete producers on the appropriate uses of CCA in concrete.
“The call for increased recycling efforts for all industries is louder than ever,” says Dominique Calabrese, chairman of the RMC Research and Education Foundation. “The study’s findings show us how we can increase recycling, while saving on both materials and disposal costs. The construction community has an obligation to examine ways to contribute to national sustainability efforts, and the CCA report demonstrates another win-win way to become more green.”
Foundation Executive Director Julie Garbini added that the use of CCA won’t decrease performance or quality.
“The CCA report shows how crushed returned concrete can be successfully reused in concrete for a variety of applications, while still meeting the needed performance requirements and producing a quality product,” Garbini says. “It will go a long way toward increasing the acceptance of CCA in concrete so that the industry can use this sustainable solution.”
