The concept of going green is not limited to a few sectors. According to asphalt paving experts, there are a number of eco-friendly ways with which you can keep your asphalt repaving or repairing 'green'.

Types of Eco-friendly Asphalt

Let us look at some of the different types of asphalt that will help you in achieving your goal of going green:

Perpetual Pavement

One of the most effective ways of ensuring that the asphalt pavements are eco-friendly is by opting for a 'perpetual pavement'. It is made using many layers, most of which are recycled materials. Perpetual pavements usually last for a long time, around two decades, and the lower layers last for a much longer time. Perpetual pavements have a significantly longer life as compared to the traditional paving methods. Further, they need lower maintenance and produce less waste. Their durability reduces expenses of repair work and time spent for the same.

Pulverization is another alternative that most owners turn to. In this process, the old pavement is broken up into small pieces, which are then used as an under-layer for the new pavement that has to be laid. This technique is inexpensive as compared to completely stripping the old pavement and replacing it with the new aggregates that are needed for the base material. It is quite green and environment-friendly as it mainly repurposes the existing pavement instead of discarding it completely and building a new one from scratch.

Porous Asphalt

Porous asphalt is quite popular due to its ability to allow water from precipitation which penetrates through the asphalt's surface. This water gets soaked into the ground present below the asphalt. Porous asphalt is generally made using recycled materials such as perpetual asphalt. Additionally, this type of asphalt reduces water run-off from the pavement which adds the safety factor, it maintains the earth's natural water cycles and helps in replenishing the ground water supplies.

Warm & Cold Mix Asphalt

Warm and cold mix asphalt is laid at lower temperatures. This helps in cutting down the production of greenhouse gasses and the overall consumption of fuel while producing and laying it. This makes it a good 'green' option due to the environmental benefits it has to offer. At the same time, business owners, especially in colder locations, prefer this as the paving season can be extended in the colder northern climates as it can be laid in lower temperatures as well.

Adopting the 'Green' Concept

There are about 18 billion tons of asphalt laid on the highways and roads of the country. With such a massive number, it only makes sense that sustainable practices are considered so that the environment isn't put at risk. It is essential that business owners adopt eco-friendly methods to lay, replace or repair asphalt pavements. Use of recycled building materials, base materials, and asphalt should be considered.

Benefits of Going Green

Green and eco-friendly asphalt laying techniques significantly help your surroundings. The ecological and economic benefits are undeniable as well. Some of those benefits include:

-      It significantly reduces the need for landfilling

-      It helps in conserving non-renewable natural resources

-      The air quality improves

-      It saves time and money

-      Asphalt pavements' lifespan increases significantly

-      It boosts traffic safety within construction zones

If you are considering changing the asphalt pavement at your home, neighborhood, or are in the process of laying new pavement then you should definitely be looking at eco-friendly and green options.