Asphalt Plants Know The Facts
The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA), founded in 1955, represents more than 1,100 asphalt producers, paving contractors, and affiliated businesses that build the network of roads so critical to the American economy. The asphalt pavement industry has a long history of working with regulatory authorities and federal agencies to develop and promote innovations that enhance the sustainability of asphalt pavements, improve worker safety, protect the environment, and save taxpayers money.
●There are approximately 3,500 asphalt plants in the U.S. The industry supports, directly or indirectly, 260,000 American jobs that cannot be exported overseas.
●Of the 2.6 million miles of paved roads in the U.S., 94% are surfaced with asphalt.
●Asphalt pavement is a precisely engineered product composed of 95 percent aggregates (stone, sand, and gravel), and 5 percent asphalt cement, a petroleum product.
●Asphalt plants are well-regulated by the EPA and other state and federal regulatory agencies.
●In 2002, the EPA officially delisted asphalt plants as a major source of air pollution.
●Asphalt is 100% reusable, and is the most reused and recycled product in the U.S.
●Asphalt plant emissions are very low and getting lower due to innovative control systems and manufacturing technology.
●From time-to-time, odors may emanate from an asphalt plant — while noticeable, these odors pose no danger to plant personnel or the communities in which a plant operates.
●Asphalt binder recycled from old pavements and roofing shingles replaces more than 21 million barrels of oil per year, saving American taxpayers more than $2.2 billion annually.
●Not all asphalt is the same: Asphalt pavement is different from roofing asphalt and other asphalt products. It has different components, properties, and is used at different temperatures, which results in very different potential emissions. Asphalt cement is unrelated to coal tar.
●Asphalt is inert: it does not leach materials. Recycled or reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is likewise inert.
●Storage silos and fuel tanks on a plant’s property are highly regulated to ensure they are well maintained, and redundant protection systems and safeguards are in place to prevent accidental material release.
●Asphalt plants are good neighbors. If there is a concern, the first step is to contact the plant owner or operator.ASPHALT.
