According to recent reports, asphalt is the most recycled raw material in the world. The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) found that 94.6 million tons of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) was used in asphalt production in 2021.
An asphalt mix consists of aggregates and a binder. The binder is a thermoplastic material. It softens or liquefies when heated, and solidifies or hardens when cooled, behaving much like candle wax. As the binder in an asphalt mix ages, there are changes both chemically and physically. However, it does retain many important and key features, and by using an effective asphalt rejuvenator or recycling agent, most of the properties of the aged binder can be restored. This makes recycling and reusing aged asphalt viable.
Asphalt rejuvenators / recycling agents are additives that are incorporated into an asphalt mix or into the virgin binder to help restore the functional performance and balance of physical properties of an aged binder. There are a wide range of asphalt rejuvenators / recycling agents available in the market. These include petrochemical, REOB, or bio-based recycling agents; either as a solid or a liquid formulation. They differ in composition, dosage efficacy, economics, and effectiveness in delivering required roadway performance and durability.
Since 2016, Sripath Technologies has manufactured a tested and proved elixir of bio-based oils called ReLIXER, a recycling agent that rejuvenates the aged bitumen in both Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) and Reclaimed Asphalt Shingles (RAS). ReLIXER is the market-leading asphalt rejuvenator / recycling technology that is trusted by customers worldwide, with proven reliability over tens of thousands of lane miles worldwide.
The average percentage of RAP used in mixtures was nearly 22 percent in 2021, compared with 15.6 percent in 2009, the first year of the NAPA survey. Utilizing these effective asphalt rejuvenators / recycling agents, like ReLIXER, supports the growing paving and roofing industries’ circular economy by enabling larger amounts of recycled materials to be put back into production streams, minimizing the needs for virgin raw materials. Sustainable solutions are not only feasible, but now also the most cost-effective.
Learn more about how asphalt rejuvenators and recycling agents like ReLIXER can provide environmentally friendly, easy-to-use solutions that reduce mix costs and provide outstanding performance here.
