Why You Should Repurpose Your Concrete
Concrete is used for everything—sidewalks, buildings, even marine habitats. We’re surrounded by a material that too often ends up in landfills because contractors in Toledo, OH neglect the reusability factor of concrete. This common building material not only serves countless uses, but has the added benefits of helping to save the environment and cutting down on construction costs. Here are some of the many ways contractors can incorporate concrete recycling into their projects.
Environmental benefits
As with any other recyclable material, concrete reused for new projects minimizes the amount of waste that gets dumped in Toledo, OH landfills. Crushed concrete is often used as a cheaper alternative to gravel for covering driveways and utility trenches. It’s one of the most common materials left over from demolition, yet possesses the most versatility for a wide range of construction projects.
Some uses for old concrete directly impact the environment. For instance, marine biologists have discovered that large slabs of concrete provide a stable foundation for coral to build new reefs. Such projects aim to reverse the effects of pollution by rehabilitating underground ecosystems. Environmentalists also recommend placing broken concrete along river banks to prevent erosion.
Concrete recycling reduces the amount of runoff that flows into sewer grates and fortifies underground water tables. Instead of pouring new concrete, construction workers can arrange broken pieces in a way that allows rainwater to drain into the ground. Concrete retains its durability even after it’s been recycled and eliminates the need to mine aggregates for common draining materials like gravel.
Lower construction costs
Recycled concrete minimizes the costs associated with demolition and new construction projects. Contractors in Toledo, OH rack up transportation and tipping fees when they haul concrete to local landfills. Concrete processing equipment should be available at every job site because it immediately transforms debris into reusable material for the next project in town. In fact, concrete doesn’t have to leave the job site at all—contractors can break it in place and use it as the underlying base for asphalt driveways.
Ways to reuse concrete
Due to its versatility, concrete that’s been processed is suitable for countless projects. Contractors use processing equipment to pulverize concrete and extract trace amounts of contaminants like dirt and steel. Once it has returned to a more refined state, concrete serves as an effective material for drainage systems, gravel driveways and even new concrete.
There’s no point in dumping construction debris at landfills when contractors can recycle it into a fresh pour of concrete. Similar to gravel, concrete itself is mixed with aggregate before getting laid into the ground. Pulverized concrete is a perfectly suitable alternative to mining for new aggregate materials. This process reduces the need for natural resources by using what’s already at a contractor’s disposal.
A new construction project doesn’t always have to entail hauling in new concrete. Between its environmental impact and cost effectiveness, concrete recycling just makes sense. It’s less a question of whether or not contractors in Toledo, OH should recycle concrete, but rather whom they should hire for the job. The team of experts at Klumm Bros. has all the processing equipment necessary to crush concrete and redistribute the aggregate to job sites that need it. Reach out to us to learn more.
Categorised in: Concrete Crushing