Using Aggregates to Promote Eco-friendly Building Projects
As the people around the world realize the effect of their lifestyle on the earth, many are looking toward practices like recycling to help reduce waste and preserve natural resources. Cans, plastic bottles, and newspapers are small-scale recycling efforts, but the industrial sector uses recycled aggregate in an effort to control wood, concrete, and general building waste. As construction projects are at an all-time high, there are dozens of new opportunities for aggregates.
Responsible Construction Projects
When old buildings are torn down, there is a lot of construction waste that can end up in a landfill. Materials like concrete aren’t absorbed back into the earth like rotten wood, creating permanent long-term damage to the environment. The engineering sector has found ways to crush gravel and rubble into reusable construction materials, rather than turning to concrete. When buildings made with recycled aggregate fall into disrepair or need to be torn down, the materials can be recycled again.
Cost Savings for the Industry
Materials like sand or stone are able to be reused, which helps reduce accumulation in landfills It is estimated that trades involving insulation, plastering, or masonry produce the most landfill waste, and these materials are not easily composted. Aggregates also lower the cost of a building project, leading to savings that can be seen by both contractor and project owner. Recycled material doesn’t sacrifice quality or durability either.
An Eco-Friendly Approach to Building
By using a recycled aggregate for a building project, sustainability takes center stage. The process impacts more than just landfill waste. There are significant energy saving when working with reusable materials. There is less traffic and air pollution hauling old materials away from a job site, as the materials being recycled can be collected on-site and potentially reused while on-site.
Recycled materials are just one of the many ways the construction industry can help reduce the carbon footprint that accompanies building projects. There is a significant financial benefit, but it also helps preserve the earth.