Why can using Recycled Asphalt Shingles (RAS) result in cost savings?
With the rising cost of petroleum the economic savings of RAS is increasing. Manufactured shingles consist of about 40 percent asphalt therefore offering a cost-effective alternative to virgin asphalt and aggregate used in paving projects. The use of RAS in hot-mix asphalt applications can reduce the overall cost of paving a road. What factors influence the cost? The costs for virgin asphalt and aggregates throughout most of the country continue to rise. That cost varies, depending on your location and the relative availability of virgin asphalt and virgin aggregates. There are costs involved in processing RAS that include equipment and labor to efficiently grind the byproduct, transportation, and storage. What are national estimates of economic savings? In January 1997, the National Asphalt Pavement Association published a special report, Use of Waste Asphalt Shingles in Hot-Mix Asphalt: State-of-the-Practice. The report concluded that cost savings using 5 percent shingle byproduct in
