Recycling
FHWA Recycling Policy
FHWA Recycled Materials Policy
FHWA recognize the need to increase our highway industry's overall use of recycled materials. There are several benefits to recycling:
- Cost savings potential
- life cycle cost and engineering performance
- Reduction in landfill
- Stewardship of our environment
FHWA's Recycling Policy has several key points:
- Recycling can offer engineering, economic and environmental benefits.
- Recycled materials should get first consideration in overall materials selection.
- Engineering and environmental properties are important.
- Life Cycle Cost benefits assessment is warranted.
- Restrictions prohibiting recycled material that are without technical basis should be removed.
The complete FHWA Recycled Materials Policy is available
Asphalt Recycling
Additional Resources
- https://cptechcenter.org/concrete-recycling/
- FHWA Cooperative Agreement with University of Nevada Reno (UNR) has a website with recycling information: https://www.unr.edu/wrsc/tools/asphalt
- NAPA recycled materials usage report: https://napanow.org/2024/05/13/napa-publishes-latest-recycling-wma-survey-results/
Focus Articles:
Public Roads Articles:
The following articles are from the July/August 2000 Public Roads Magazine.
- How NCDOT Is Building a Recycling Culture
by Ashley T. Memory
The NC Department of Transportation is demonstrating the cultural benefits of recycling to encourage local participation. - Lessons Learned: TxDOT's Efforts to Increase the Use of Recycled Materials
by Rebecca Davio
The Texas Department of Transportation shares lessons learned from five years of experience with a recycled materials program. - National Research Projects on Recycling in Highway Construction
by Marcia J. Simon, Warren H. Chesner, Taylor Eighmy, and Howard Jongedyk
The Federal Highway Administration and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program have sponsored several research projects - some ongoing and others recently completed - pertaining to the use of recycled materials in highway construction. - The Recycled Materials Resource Center
by Bryan J. Magee
This national center was established in 1998 at the University of New Hampshire to promote the appropriate use of recycled materials in the highway environment. RMRC will conduct about 30 research projects over the first six years of operation.