Though reusing crushed concrete dates back to ancient times, it was first recorded in 1860 in Germany. It became popular in the United States in the 1970’s though, as landfills near heavily populated areas started refusing to accept broken concrete. The problem was that the concrete sat idly and took up too much space. This was no longer sustainable because as populations grew, more waste was being brought to landfills. As a result, people began crushing it down into aggregates for reuse as filler.
After a series of successful projects and research in using the aggregates, it was confirmed that not only do they offer equal strength as new concrete, they also produce a smaller carbon footprint. In addition, aggregates have a smaller time frame between placing and finishing.
As you can see, there are many advantages to using recycled concrete aggregates. While new concrete has its place, mining for it takes additional resources and time and eventually will run out. Recycling concrete plays an important role in the future of construction.
With all the advances in technology, the quality of recycled concrete is greater than ever. For your next project, consider using recycled aggregates to save money and help out the environment.