5 Benefits When You Recycle Concrete

 Regardless of whether a construction firm is engaged in demolition, remodeling, or even new construction, getting rid of leftover debris is a constant need until the project is complete. 

While any construction debris material can be problematic to dispose of, it's a fact that concrete, masonry, wood, steel, tiling and drywall are especially difficult to remove and haul away from a construction site.

In fact, most contractors will agree that concrete waste disposal can be one of the tougher debris removal tasks on their job sites. Simply taking the rubble and debris to the nearest landfill is not only costly and labor-intensive, it is becoming an increasingly difficult option to pursue.

On the hand, choosing to recycle concrete and masonry rubble is a far more efficient and beneficial option. But the problem is figuring out how to best make that happen.

Fortunately, there are licensed and professional hauling firms such as Junk King that are available to handle this type of construction debris.

Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose - Giving New Life to Old Concrete

Handing this type of work over to a reliable third-party firm is a strategic approach for those who are managing job sites. And, aside from the economic, logistical, and efficiency benefits of outsourcing concrete waste disposal, there are the green benefits, as well.

According to an article in Wikipedia, reusing concrete rubble is a growing practice,

When structures made of concrete are demolished or renovated, concrete recycling is an increasingly common method of utilizing the rubble. Concrete was once routinely trucked to landfills for disposal, but recycling has a number of benefits that have made it a more attractive option in this age of greater environmental awareness, more environmental laws, and the desire to keep construction costs down.

Not only does concrete recycling help reduce new construction costs, it has a significant impact on the environment. The same entry in Wikipedia points out some of these green benefits:

• Keeping concrete debris out of landfills saves landfill space.
• Using recycled concrete can conserve natural resources by reducing the need for gravel mining, water, coal, oil and gas.
• Using recycled concrete as the base material for roadways reduces the pollution involved in trucking material.
• Recycling concrete can create more employment opportunities.
• Recycling concrete drag down the cost for buying raw materials and transporting the waste to landfill sites.
• Recycling one ton of cement could save 1,360 gallons water, 900 kg of CO₂.

Concrete Debris Recycling Provides Useful Products

Once your concrete waste and debris has been cleaned up and removed from your job site it doesn't simply get hauled off to the nearest landfill. In fact, whenever possible, the waste from concrete removal is recycled and reused in a number of ways.

Here are five of the most common uses for the millions of tons of waste concrete produced in the United States each year:

Concrete Aggregate

Crushed recycled concrete can also be used as the dry aggregate for brand new concrete if it is free of contaminants. The California Department of transportation (Caltrans), for example allows the use of recycled concrete aggregate, or RCA, for specific applications. And the City of San Francisco has approved the use of RCA as and aggregate concrete for use in curbs, gutter, sidewalk, and street base.

Road Building

Smaller pieces of concrete are regularly used as gravel for new road construction projects. Sub-base gravel is laid down as the lowest layer in a road, with fresh concrete or asphalt poured over it. In addition, concrete pavements can be broken in place and used as a base layer for an asphalt pavement through a process called rubblization.

Gabion Construction

Wire gabions, or cages, can be filled with crushed concrete and then stacked together to provide economical retaining walls. These gabions can also be used to protect embankments or other structures. In such cases even bigger sizes of the crushed and recycled concrete can be used. These gabions function well because of their weight and density.

Riprap

Larger pieces of crushed concrete can be used as riprap revetments, which has become an effective and well-used method for controlling stream bank erosion.This material can be seen along the shoreline, around ditch pipe, and in much landscaping. Typically, the material is usually broken down to pieces between 10 and 18 inches across.

Landscaping Products

Coming from certain crushing facilities, well graded and aesthetically pleasing materials is produced for use as a substitute for landscaping stone or aggregate. Some types of reused concrete, also known as “urbanite,” can be used for constructing benches, garden walls, rockeries, raised beds, foundations for terraces, as well as paths and patios.

Part of the beauty of outsourcing the pick up and disposing of concrete waste is the convenience. But, just as important, is the very real impact that having your concrete debris recycled and reused. California, for example, is one of the leading states in the processing and reuse of concrete and other waste building materials, and local contractors are a big part of that movement.

Be Sure to Get the Best for Concrete Disposal

Junk King provides an efficient, safe and eco-friendly construction waste disposal service so you don’t need to worry about the pick up or disposal of the debris after your project is complete. One of the best things about hiring Junk King is that we recycle a much of the material we pick-up. This is proof of our commitment to being an eco-friendly removal service.

Whether you need our services several times during a construction project or just once after it is complete, our hauling professionals will ensure that the construction debris is out of your way so that you can get on with the job.

Our professional and insured hauling team will call 15 minutes before we arrive on your site and we’ll give you a free estimate based on how much room your debris takes up in our truck. We haul the construction waste into our junk removal trucks and with no hidden fees.

Our team specializes in construction debris removal. We can be at your facility in mere minutes, so call us today! Our crew is fully insured and well-trained, so you can trust them to get rid of your unwanted items in a professional and courteous fashion.

If you have questions about what we do or what we believe, give us a call at 1-888-888-JUNK.