Old Streets Get a Second Life: How Recycled Asphalt Millings Are Paving America’s Future
Old Asphalt Streets are recycled into asphalt millings (also known as reclaimed asphalt pavement or RAP), a sustainable process that transforms removed pavement layers into reusable material. This recycling reduces waste, conserves resources, and supports eco-friendly construction practices.
The Recycle Guide proudly highlights this efficient cycle, where old streets are milled, processed, and repurposed nationwide.
Top Nine Usages of Asphalt Millings
Asphalt millings offer versatile, cost-effective, and durable applications:
- Residential driveways – Providing a strong, low-maintenance surface that withstands traffic and weather.
- Commercial parking lots – Offering stable, affordable paving for high-use areas.
- Road base or sub-base material – Serving as a foundational layer for new pavements.
- Pothole repairs and patching – Quick, effective fixes for damaged roads.
- Pathways and walkways – Creating durable trails in parks or residential areas.
- Gravel driveway stabilization – Reducing dust and erosion on unpaved surfaces.
- Embankment or fill material – Used in construction for stable backfill.
- Temporary road surfaces – Ideal for construction sites or low-traffic areas.
- Trench backfill – Supporting utilities and infrastructure repairs.
Companies like National Site Materials deliver these recycled streets—known as millings—directly to projects for driveways, parking lots, and more across the United States, making sustainable paving accessible and convenient.
Top 10 Companies in the US That Recycle Asphalt Streets
While rankings vary by region, scale, and specialization, here are prominent companies recognized for asphalt recycling and pavement rehabilitation:
- Midstate Reclamation (part of SurfaceCycle) – Leader in cold-in-place and central plant recycling nationwide.
- Dustrol, Inc. – Innovator in hot-in-place recycling (HIR) with proprietary equipment.
- Wolf Paving (with Badger Materials Recycling) – Focuses on 100% recycling of removed asphalt.
- Gallagher Asphalt – Expert in hot-in-place recycling for cost-effective resurfacing.
- Wilk Paving Inc. – Operates advanced plants accepting and reusing milled asphalt.
- The Gerken Companies – Processes large volumes of RAP for new mixes and bases.
- American Pavement Recyclers – Specializes in turning waste asphalt into high-quality hot mix.
- CRH Americas Materials – Major producer incorporating high RAP and RAS percentages.
- Wm. D. Scepaniak, Inc. – Provides on-site portable crushing for recycled aggregates.
- Pavement Recyclers (Bagela systems) – Supplies equipment and services for on-site recycling.
Where Does Asphalt Rank as a Recycled Product?
Asphalt pavement is America’s #1 most recycled material. According to the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) and federal reports, the industry recycles over 99% of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), with tens of millions of tons reused annually in new mixes, bases, and other applications—far surpassing common recyclables like paper, aluminum, plastic, or glass in volume and reuse rate.
Who Invented the Recycling of Asphalt Streets?
Modern asphalt pavement recycling emerged in the 1970s, driven by the U.S. energy crisis and oil embargo, which highlighted the need to conserve resources. Pioneers like Robert Mendenhall of Las Vegas Paving Company developed early methods to mix reclaimed pavement with rejuvenating agents. The process built on broader industry advancements, with widespread adoption of hot and cold recycling techniques following. (Note: While Edmund J. DeSmedt laid the first true asphalt pavement in the U.S. in 1870, recycling specifically dates to these 1970s innovations.)
The Recycle Guide encourages sustainable choices—recycled asphalt millings deliver performance, savings, and environmental benefits for every project. Visit our site for more tips on green paving solutions!