ASPHALT ACCORDING TO WEBSTER : A dark solid or somewhat plastic substance that is found in natural beds or obtained as a residue in petroleum refining and is used in paving streets.

ASPHALT FACTS

Asphalt affords a safe, economical, and durable paving material which offers many benefits to the American public when properly designed, built and maintained.  In addition to saving wear and tear on vehicles, safety is enhanced because of the smooth, stable and skid-resistant surface.  Asphalt has and is consistently evaluated for improvement to protect the American public.

Since the 1970’s, recycling asphalt pavement has become a well-accepted practice throughout the United States, thus saving our precious natural resources.  Asphalt pavement is 100 percent recyclable or reclaimable.  Once asphalt becomes ready for recycling, it becomes known Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (“RAP”).   The hot-mix asphalt (“HMA”) industry is America’s biggest recycler.  More than 90-million tons of asphalt pavement is reclaimed each year during widening and resurfacing projects.  Its quality actually improves each time new materials are mixed with the used material. Further investigation has found that asphalt pavement is the most recycled product in the United States at 80 percent. That compares to 60 percent of aluminum cans, 56 percent of newsprint and 31 percent of glass beverage bottles. According to the EPA, 73 million tons of asphalt are recycled each year.

Since the inception of cold mill recycling (RAP) in the 1970’s, industry has consistently used less and less non-renewable resources. When you see a street or road that has been in place for a number of years, the asphalt is normally stripped and recycled saving the American taxpayers over $300 million per year.  Recycling is a win-win situation because it not only saves the taxpayer money, it also saves non-renewable resources.  In addition, road construction time is cut, resulting in fewer traffic delays.   

 

Economic Impact

The asphalt industry has a significant, positive effect on South Carolina’s economy. The industry is comprised of companies ranging from small driveway-paving operations to multi-million dollar construction companies that produce and place hot mix asphalt on roads, airports, parking lots, etc.

  • Road construction provides a wide variety of work for transportation planners, civil engineers, construction management executives, equipment operators, laborers and many others. 
  • SCAPA’s contractor members have a commitment to quality and continuous improvement.

 

Quality

While asphalt roads have provided smooth, safe travel for American motorists for more than a century, the industry still has a strong commitment to continuous improvement.

  • The asphalt industry has created scholarship programs to encourage men and women to choose careers in the asphalt industry.
  • SCAPA members are advocates of Total Quality Management. They work hard to ensure that their product is of high quality, produces smoother, longer-lasting roads for the people of South Carolina, and that workers have the equipment and proper training needed to do their best work.
  • SCAPA and SCDOT have partnered to train road technicians for quality management certification, resulting in high quality, long-lasting roads.
  • As challenges arise, SCAPA and SCDOT engineers create new mixes. For example, new long-lasting Stone Matrix Asphalt and Superpave have been developed for heavy-traffic, high-performance pavements.
  • Through the National Asphalt Pavement Association's (NAPA) Research and Education Foundation and Auburn University, the industry has established the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT). NCAT is conducting state-of-the-art research to assist the asphalt industry in its effort to constantly improve its product.
  • SCAPA is actively involved with state and national agency representatives to ensure appropriate implementation of products from the $50 million Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP). The knowledge gained from SHRP research will provide long-term benefits in terms of better, lower cost roads.
  • Asphalt, “the quiet ride”,  is used throughout the United States not only because of the cost savings to taxpayers, but because of its noise-absorbing qualities.   More and more communities are requesting asphalt and asphalt overlays on concrete.  

 

Environment

The industry is committed to a clean and safe environment for everyone.

  • The asphalt industry initiated recycling long before legislation encouraged or required it.
  • The industry saves taxpayers over $300 million a year by recycling asphalt pavements. A recent national study found that asphalt is the number one most recycled product in the United States.
  • Since July 1997, the asphalt industry has installed engineering controls that vent asphalt fumes away from workers during paving operations on every highway-class paver, thereby reducing worker exposure to asphalt fumes.
  • In 1998, government researchers, U.S. manufacturers of pavement equipment, numerous paving contractors and labor unions representing paving workers, worked to find a solution to reduce worker exposure to asphalt fumes during paving operations.  As a result, the “Ford Foundation’s Innovations in American Government Award” was created.
  • In 1999, a NORA (National Occupational Research Agenda) award was presented to the asphalt industry, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for their partnership in developing engineering controls on highway-class pavers.
  • The asphalt industry has developed a technique of overlaying concrete with asphalt, thus creating a pavement which is quieter than concrete and is far more economical and longer lasting.

 

Emissions

In our sister state of North Carolina, The Clayton Group Services, an independent research group in Raleigh, conducted an emissions comparison between asphalt plants and selected source categories. Its study found that emissions from an asphalt plant are comparable to those from many consumer-oriented sources, such as residential fireplaces, barbecue grills, lawn mowers, gas stations, fast-food restaurants and bakeries. Since July 1997, the asphalt industry has installed engineering controls that vent asphalt fumes away from workers during paving operations on every highway-class paver, thereby reducing worker exposure to asphalt fumes. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health,  Health Effects of Occupational Exposure to Asphalt report, issued December 2000, there is no association between occupational exposure to asphalt and cancer.

 

Air Quality

All asphalt plants must obtain a permit from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). DHEC reviews all applications for compliance with state and federal air quality regulations. All new, modified or relocated asphalt plants must comply with the state’s air regulations as well as rules governing odor, fugitive dust from trucks using the  roads and storage areas. In addition, all asphalt plants must meet air quality limits for particulate matter, such as fine dust. In reviewing permit applications, the SCDHEC meteorologists and engineers conduct extensive tests to determine whether the proposed facility will comply with state and federal air quality standards. SCDHEC considers worst-case conditions when reviewing permit applications. If a permit is granted, the facility will conduct ongoing on-site testing to further demonstrate compliance with air quality standards. Because state and federal air quality standards are based on protection of human health, compliance with those same standards signifies that a facility presents no health risk to the public.

 

Water Quality

Asphalt plants have minimal impact on water quality. Asphalt plants generally do not create any industrial wastewater. Asphalt plants may require a storm water (rainwater) discharge permit from the S. C. Department of Environmental Health and Control (DHEC), depending on where they are located and how they operate. During the construction of an asphalt plant, the facility must comply with state and local rules regarding sedimentation and erosion control.

 

Other Issues


Asphalt plants make a significant contribution to the community and are good neighbors by providing jobs, a long-lasting product that is useful in many ways. Compliance with health-based environmental standards ensures that an asphalt plant poses no risk to the community. In addition, an asphalt plant must comply with all local land-use regulations. These requirements include zoning, setback and noise ordinances.

Source: National Asphalt Pavement Association, North Carolina Department of Commerce, Innovations in American Government, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, North Carolina Department of Transportation, NC Division of Air Quality, NC Division of Water Quality, Greenhorne & O’Mara, Inc.