As a recent report
from a cross-party group of MPs recommends using advanced asphalt technology on
UK roads, Aggregate Industries is urging local authorities, highways agencies
and the wider industry to take a more eco-friendly approach in all aspects of
road surfacing.
Earlier this month,
the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Highways released a report
calling for the widespread adoption of warm mix asphalt (WMA), which despite
its environmental, safety and performance benefits accounts for just 4% of
asphalt production in Britain.
The figure is
significantly lower than other developed nations including the US, where 40% of
asphalt is warm mix, and France, where it stands at 15%.
As it is laid at lower
temperatures than traditional asphalt, WMA uses less energy and cools to usable
temperatures faster - reducing the length of time roadworks are in operation
and cutting CO2 emissions by up to 15%.
As a result, this not only improves productivity for contractors but tackles
congestion by ensuring traffic flows more smoothly – which the APPG
states will be “welcomed by the public”.
Backing the
recommendation, Aggregate Industries, which recently launched its own low
temperature asphalt Superlow, has stated that while opting for WMA will go a
long way in reducing the environmental impact of road construction, decision
makers also need to take a more holistic approach to sustainability – one that
prioritises low-carbon processes in all aspects of a project.
Bob Allen, Head of
Research & Development and Technical Services at Aggregate Industries,
said: “Under the Construction
Sector Deal, the UK has ambitious targets to
halve emissions in the built environment by 2025, and the pressure on the road
construction industry to become more environmentally friendly is now greater
than ever before.
“As such, local
authorities, highways agencies and other contractors must take action now,
firstly by taking heed of the APPG’s report. It estimates that if all asphalt
production in Britain were switched to warm mix, it would save at least 61,000
tonnes of CO2 each year - the
equivalent of almost 300 million car journeys.
“However,
with the report citing red tape and a reluctance to try new ideas as key
barriers to WMA adoption, it’s more than just about materials. Clearly then, as
an industry we still have a huge job to do in incorporating sustainability into
all aspects of road construction including investment in cleaner automated road
surfacing machinery and greener waste management practices.”
For instance, as part of its circular economy initiative, Aggregate
Industries used nearly 800,000 tonnes of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) in
2018, which reduced reliance on imported bitumen and quarried aggregates. The
process to produce RAP involves removing old road surfaces, reprocessing them
to a suitable size and then adding this material into the new asphalt mix, to
be used as replacement road surface.
Bob adds: “The good
news is that when it comes to finding a more eco-friendly alternative – in many
cases, there’s no need to wait for a ‘silver bullet’ solution as many of the
products, practices and technology are already available. It’s just a case of
making the most of the latest innovations. After all, with the government’s
recent pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, if we are to successfully
transition to a low carbon society, we will all need to do ‘our bit’.”
Aggregate Industries’
market-leading Superlow is a low temperature asphalt enabling quicker, more
environmentally-friendly project completion. This range of asphalt is mixed at
20°C-40°C lower than hot mix asphalt, while offering the equivalent performance
characteristics of hot mix asphalt.
