The idea behind an eco-friendly mindset is nothing new to us at PACKAGE PAVEMENT. Many of the products that we manufacture use recycled or industrial by-products to create enhanced strength, unique colors and a more environmentally friendly product. For example the fly ash we use in our manufacturing is a by-product of the burning of coal for steel mills. The small particle size and density creates a more durable finish on the surface of concrete pads. Fly ash also provides improved compressive strength by filling in the voids between the aggregate and cement particles. Another example can be seen in our iron-oxide pigments, which using scrap metal and acid, produce a rainbow of colored oxides for our SPEC MIX line of custom products. Other materials that have been used in our products is a recycled glass pozzelin, recycled asphalt, and crumb rubber in our Plug-R line of asphalt plugs.
Through the use of these products we help relieve the landfills of millions of pounds of materials annually. If one were to really consider the cement and asphalt building materials impact on the environment, we are much greener than one would think. Our materials, once installed, can last a hundred years, require little to no maintenance and can be reused in new building materials or as a sub base for the next project. Compare this to many other consumer goods who’s life cycle is often times less than a year before being reprocessed and it puts into perspective the greenness of what we produce. One of our goals is not only providing a durable, ready-to-use product, but also to ensure the right product is used for the job. This means producing one off custom materials and not one size fits all product. This further extends the life of the product to ensure strength and beauty for the next generation.
As we move into the next decade the use of recycled materials will be more and more prevalent than today. We need to keep in mind that the environment we live in is filled with a finite amount of these resources, which once gone, cannot be replaced. Responsibility lies with all of us to help keep the delicate balance of the environment in place and to ensure the next generation can still have the resources we so often take for granted. This means something as simple as separating plastics and paper in the trash, to creating an eco-friendly LEED Certified green building.
“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. ”
— Franklin D. Roosevelt
– John Doherty
