Can Concrete Be Recycled?

Ever wonder what happens to all of that concrete after a large demolition or construction project? While it was once commonplace to find this discarded concrete in landfills across the globe, today more and more companies are acknowledging the environmental benefits of recycling concrete. Each year, over 265 gallons of cement is manufactured for each person on the planet. To put that into context, the United States produces over 325 million tons of concrete demolition waste each year and recycles close to 140 million tons of concrete, thus, not only can concrete be recycled, it is highly recommended.

Recycled concrete remains cost effective and environmentally conscious. The environmental benefits of recycling concrete include:

• Keeps concrete, which is not biodegradable, out of landfills
• Saves water by reusing premixed concrete instead of mixing new material
• Reduces the need for gravel mining

Concrete Recycling Process

Surprisingly simple, the concrete recycling process involves breaking down concrete into large pieces, small pieces, or fine particles to be reused for other construction needs. The process of recycling concrete is actually quite simple:

Step 1:  Concrete is collected at the worksite and broken down into smaller pieces using a crushing machine.

Step 2: Non-concrete materials, such as rebar, are sorted from the debris using magnets and other methods.

Step 3: All aggregate pieces are sorted by size.

Larger pieces can be used for erosion control or put through the crushing machine again for further refinement. Smaller pieces can be used as gravel or a base layer for asphalt.

The Conco Companies are one of the foremost suppliers of concrete services for the Western U.S. We got our start in 1959 in the Bay Area by offering clients the best value on a broad range of concrete services and products.  Since that time, we have taken a leading role as top concrete contractors in the region. We have four regional offices serving California, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado and Washington.

Source:  http://www.wbcsdcement.org/pdf/CSI-RecyclingConcrete-FullReport.pdf