RC104 JanFeb2023 - Magazine - Page 31
Toronto and Area Road
Builders Association
NEW RESEARCH ON THE BENEFITS
OF BUILDING WITH RECYCLED
CRUSHED AGGREGATE (RCA)
When governments renew their roads, highways, sidewalks and other
infrastructure, the concrete ‘waste’ generated ends up in recycling yards
with the intent of being used in other construction projects. But the
opportunity to reuse these RCAs is often neglected in tender documents
when planning to build or rehabilitate infrastructure.
Structurally sound RCAs are often preferable to primary or virgin
aggregates in road and infrastructure projects due to their economic and
environmental benefits:
· Reuses a valuable, non-renewable resource
· Expands the life of existing pits and quarries and reduces demand for more
· Lowers the cost of transporting virgin aggregates to project sites and
reduces traffic
· Diverts aggregates from landfill
· Reduces energy use and GHG emissions from the extraction and hauling
processes
· Aligns with sustainability and circular economy initiatives and objectives
A new report commissioned by the Toronto and Area Road Builders Association (TARBA) confirms the benefits of RCAs and
provides case studies demonstrating the long-term effectiveness of RCAs, including adoption by the Ontario Ministry of
Transportation in building and maintaining the 400-series highways.
RENEWCANADA.NET
Read
the full report: www.tarba.org.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023 — RENEW CANADA 31
