What to do with Excess Concrete Waste?
Any major remodeling job will require demolition before reconstruction can take place. And if much demolition occurs around concrete, you can bet that you’ll have a lot of awkward, heavy material to deal with. So, how do you get rid of all that waste? After all, you can’t very well throw that concrete rubble at the end of your driveway and hope that the garbage company will take it off.
The reality is that it can cost up to $0.25 per ton, per mile to transport concrete to a landfill. And landfills charge up to $100 per ton in order to dispose of it. This can make the cost of a major reconstruction job skyrocket, and that’s just to clear the building site of debris.
On top of that, the limited space of landfills and the increasing rate at which they are regulated by the government will only make that cost go up. So, many people are looking for a better option to deal with concrete debris that’s left at their building site.
Recycling Concrete: A Cost-Effective, Environmentally Friendly Solution
Fortunately, concrete can be recycled and reused in a variety of different ways. Normally this involves using industrial equipment with impactors that can crush it. Once it’s been broken up, it can be purified by running it through a screen that will remove dirt and other large substances. After the concrete particles have been crushed and filtered, they’re ready to be used as an aggregate in a new concrete.
So, why should you consider recycling concrete? There are a number of good reasons.
First, it’s important to recognize the environmental impact that our building and remodeling jobs have. As should be obvious, concrete is not biodegradable. This means that once it’s in the landfill, it will remain there forever. But if we recycle that concrete, it can be put to use again. In addition to the environmental damage that results from filling landfills with material that will never degrade, using recycled concrete as an aggregate in new concrete cuts down on the amount of new rock and gravel that needs to be mined for new concrete. And remember, all of that mining and transporting those rocks increase carbon emissions and contribute to environmental pollution.
How Recycling Concrete Can Help You in the Future
Another reason you should consider recycling concrete, is the fact that certain studies have shown that new concrete which uses recycled concrete as an aggregate tends to be stronger than an all new product. In addition, it’s lighter, so it can be purchased and transported at lower cost.
If you’re interested in recycling concrete at your building or remodeling site, you’ll want to look for a portable crusher that you can locate on-site for easy access. When looking for a crusher, you should try to find something with an electromagnet or air separator system that can ensure all steel is removed from the crushed concrete. It’s also worth looking for one that has hydraulic stands which will make it easier to set up and begin using.
There’s simply no reason not to get in the practice of recycling concrete. It will save you money and resources. And it’s much better for the environment.
