For over a hundred years, the construction industry has treated concrete as a one and done building material, something to be disposed of once its purpose had been served. However, thanks to technological advances, concrete doesn’t have to spend centuries settling in a landfill. The average construction company and even some businesses can benefit from concrete recycling in several ways.
The Concrete Recycling Process
Thanks to the efficiency of the concrete recycling process, recycled aggregate is universally high in quality. How can that be possible? It’s easy when you start from scratch.
Aggregates of all sizes are fed through a machine that’s designed to reduce the payload to a much smaller size i.e. large chunks are crushed into smaller ones. From there, the crushed concrete is fed through a machine such as General Kinematics’ DE-STONER® Air Classifier to remove any light debris such as wood. What you’re left with is high-quality concrete.
Recycled concrete aggregate can then be used in a variety of ways. It can be repurposed for construction, home improvement, and landscaping projects. It has also been shown that despite being recycled from concrete scrap, that recycled concrete aggregate is just as durable and safe for use as natural aggregates.
Reasons to Consider Concrete Recycling
1. Say Goodbye to Tipping Fees
Tipping fees are typically collected when you take items to a disposal center and are based on weight and/or volume. So when you choose to recycle your concrete, you’ll avoid incurring additional tipping fees when disposing of your materials at a landfill or waste treatment facility.
2. No More Huge Freight Charges
If you’re a construction company, then you know that high-quality aggregate can mean paying a freight company big time money just to get it there. In a lot of cases, recycled aggregate options are nearby!
3. Recycled Concrete Is Cheaper
By and large, recycled concrete is cheaper than freshly-mined aggregate. This means you can save on material costs while not having to forfeit on quality.
4. Environmental Improvement
Of course, using or providing recycled concrete, has an impact on the system that helps reduce the amount of refuse cluttering landfills.
General Kinematics Is Devoted to Improving the Recycling Process
Each and every new innovation in the recycling industry is a step towards making our planet more sustainable. General Kinematics is dedicated to being a part of that innovation. With every piece of equipment that leaves the doors of GK we look to increase the amount of materials recycled to not only create a better situation for our customers but for the world. Utilizing GK’s DE-STONER® Air Classifier and other vibratory equipment to assist with your concrete clean-up provides a robust and durable unit that will improve the quality of clean concrete in your system and increase your ROI.
Contact us today and let one of our skilled engineers improve the future of your recycling process.
