Iceland : Recycling to Improve Roads
In Iceland, natural aggregate resources are in limited supply. Indeed, there’s lots of local volcanic rock available but it isn’t robust enough to withstand the friction from road traffic So back in 2012, Colas Iceland teams began seeking solutions incorporating recycled road materials.
Easycold, which performs just as well as conventional mixes, has been widely used ever since. This project between Selfloss and Reykjavik, the island’s capital, is just one example. Containing up to 96% reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), the product reduces the need to extract or import raw materials.
This economical process also uses less energy, since the mix is applied cold. This cold application, unlike hot mix which requires a temperature of about 130°C, requires an ambient temperature (between 10 and 20°C). So the solution helps limit the environmental impact of road projects, at the same time tackling some of the problems associated with building infrastructure on an island.
