Recycling Concrete is becoming an increasingly popular way to utilize aggregate left behind when structures or roadways are demolished. In the past, this rubble was disposed of in landfills, but with more attention being paid to environmental concerns, concrete recycling allows reuse of the rubble while also keeping construction costs down.
       When structures made of concrete are demolished or renovated, concrete recycling is an increasingly common method of utilizing the rubble. Concrete was once routinely trucked to landfills for disposal, but recycling has a number of benefits that have made it a more attractive option in this age of greater environmental awareness, more environmental laws, and the desire to keep construction costs down.
       Concrete aggregate collected from demolition sites is put through a crushing machine. Crushing facilities accept only uncontaminated concrete, which must be free of trash, wood, paper and other such materials. Metals such as rebar are accepted, since they can be removed with magnets and other sorting devices and melted down for recycling elsewhere. The remaining aggregate chunks are sorted by size. Larger chunks may go through the crusher again.
        Crushing at the actual construction site using portable crushers reduces construction costs and the pollution generated when compared with transporting material to and from a quarry. Large road-portable plants can crush concrete and asphalt rubble at up to 600 tons per hour or more. These systems normally consist of a rubble crusher, side discharge conveyor, screening plant, and a return conveyor from the screen to the crusher inlet for reprocessing oversize materials. Compact, self-contained mini-crushers are also available that can handle up to 150 tons per hour and fit into tighter areas.

why Recycled concrete aggregate:

1. Is an accepted source of aggregate into new concrete by ASTM and AASHTO.
2. Is high quality - meeting or exceeding all applicable state and federal specifications.
3. Is higher yield - recycled aggregates are lighter weight per unit of volume, which means less weight per cubic yard, resulting in reduced material costs, haul costs, and overall project costs.
4. Is currently being used in concrete and asphalt products with better performance over comparable virgin aggregates.
5. Means minimization of environmental impacts in an Urban Quarry setting.
6. Offers a way to reduce landfill waste streams.
7. Weighs ten to fifteen percent (10%-15%) less than comparable virgin quarry products (concrete).
8. Provides for superior compaction and constructability.

The Economic Benefits:

1. Avoid haul-off costs and landfill disposal fees.
2. Minimize impact to community infrastructure by reducing import and export trucking.
3. Avoid haul-off costs and landfill disposal fees.
4. Increase project efficiency and improve job cost - recycled concrete aggregates yield more volume by weight (up to 15%).
5. Eliminate the expense of aggregate material imports and exports.
>>How to recycling the concrete?