As environmental concerns increase, and health and safety standards remain a top priority at jobsites, countless solutions have been developed to stay ahead of the curve.
With so much waste being generated in today's age, recycling and repurposing material can greatly help reduce waste by diverting reusable resources from landfills. Cue recycled asphalt shingles, also known as RAS, which have been found to have multiple advantages on jobsites as a dust suppressant when ground into a fine crumb size.
What asphalt shingles look like before they are cleaned and processed into RAS.
With unpaved roads and laydown yards comes the issue of dust, which can not only be a health concern, but also affect visibility while driving. By laying down RAS on unpaved roads and laydown yards, the chance of breathing in dust or low visibility caused by dust can decrease.
Another issue with unpaved roads is the "washboarding effect." A study done by the Department of Physics at the University of Toronto describes the washboarding effect as the development of ripples due to the action of rolling wheels on unpaved roads, which can cause uncomfortable and hazardous driving conditions. With RAS applied to a laydown yard, there is a reduction of the washboarding effect and vibrations while driving. The application of RAS can aid in road maintenance and ease safety concerns.
An additional consideration when applying RAS as a dust suppressant is its low maintenance. It does not require frequent reapplications like other dust suppressants, such as water trucks. These vehicles, which are driven around multiple times per day, spray roads to prevent trucks and other construction equipment from producing dust. If RAS were to be applied on these unpaved roads, water and fuel usage could be reduced.
What RAS looks like as the finished product. The shingles have been processed into a fine crumb size.
There have been several studies on the benefits of RAS as a top cover protectant for roads and jobsites. This solution looks to be a promising, cost-effective alternative to traditional ones. Cherry Companies not only offers RAS in addition to recycled concrete products, but also the ability to deliver the product at your convenience. From Beaumont to Bay City, Texas, Cherry Companies is ready to serve its customers in the Greater Houston area with a quick phone call. Whether a small load or a massive order is needed, Cherry Companies is ready to supply RAS.
For more information on RAS, call Mike May at (832) 623-2638 or email info@cherrycompanies.com.
