3 Tips for Recycling Crushed Concrete
Concrete debris is a huge concern for contractors and builders in the demolition phase of a project. Removing the debris from the worksite takes labor power away from other essential aspects of the project, the disposal fees can be steep, and transportation costs add up quickly.
Recycling concrete in the form of crushed concrete, or aggregate, eliminates all these disadvantages while supplying worksites with cost-effective filler material.
Worksites need appropriate on-site construction recycling equipment to take advantage of recycled crushed concrete. After the crushing process, called rubblization, the aggregate is useful for bed foundation, retaining walls, and many other applications.
1. Invest in On-Site Mobile Crushers
The most efficient way to recycle concrete is to rent or purchase portable crushers and screeners. An on-site mobile crusher like the Komplet K-JC503 Jaw Crusher uses conveyors, jaws, and cones, to reduce concrete pieces down to ¾” concrete. This model can handle 19” x 12” concrete chunks, and other models can handle pieces up to 31” x 21”.
The larger the crusher, the bigger materials it can handle and the more output it creates. The smallest crusher creates up to 34 tons of recycled material per hour, while the largest mobile crusher creates up to 160 tons per hour. If your workspace does not generate enough debris to justify the larger crusher, then the K-JC503’s superior maneuverability makes it ideal.
2. Use Screeners to Segregate Waste
If you have a wide variety of rubble on your worksite, use a mobile screener to categorize it into three distinct-sized piles. The Komplet Kompatto 221 Mobile Screener is the smallest self-contained screener available on the market. It can get to any cramped location and turn an unorganized pile of waste into a pile ready for reuse, a pile suitable for your mobile crusher, and a pile to haul off to the landfill.
Not only does a screener ensure you only send what you need to the landfill, and in doing so reduces tipping fees and extends the life of landfills, it also ensures appropriate sized materials go into your crusher. You can place the output of the screener to empty into the crusher’s hopper for maximum efficiency.
All mobile crushers and screeners have control systems made for a single operator, which keeps workers on task rather than recycling and reusing concrete debris.
3. Use Crushed Concrete Instead of Expensive Filler
Once you crush your debris into 3” to ¾” aggregate, it can be used in various ways. For instance, crushed concrete is commonly used as a subbase for concrete pavement and asphalt pavement parking lots. It is perfect for subbase because it offers exceptional drainage and stability.
Depending on the type of concrete and aggregate size, you can also use it as environmental fill for remediation projects due to fine concrete’s pH levels and backfill for completed excavation projects. You save significant money when you use crushed concrete instead of other materials for filler and coverage materials.
For instance, a landscape covered with gravel costs up to $75 per square yard, while aggregate saves money by eliminating hauling and landfill costs.
Visit Komplet America for On-Site Recycling Equipment
On-site concrete recycling with crushers and screeners is environmentally friendly, cost-effective, and keeps workers focused on projects that matter. With Komplet’s easy to maneuver and powerful crushers and screeners, any size project can use its construction debris to its advantage.
Contact Komplet America to learn more about our equipment and services. Also, check out our blog for insights into how to best use crushers, screeners, and shredders on the worksite.
