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ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF RECYCLING
In 2025, Nebraska put two million plastic bags into a 4,000-foot road; it became the state’s first recycled-plastic roadNebraska put the equivalent of two million plastic bags into a 4,000-foot road in 2025, creating the state’s first recycled-plastic road. T...- These retired wind turbine blades were turned into a 40-foot highway sign structure in Texas. Then, Hurricane Beryl put it to the testIn a pioneering initiative, University of Houston engineers have ingeniously turned retired wind turbine blades into durable highway signs,...
- In 2022, a Washington State lab study replaced 20% of cement with recycled glass powder; 56-day strength rose 19% with steel milling, while surface resistivity improved 150% with ceramic millingWashington State University engineers are testing recycled glass powder as a cement substitute. This waste material could potentially impro...
- Los Angeles recycled old street asphalt with microwaves instead of buying virgin paving material; over 800,000 tons were avoided over 5 years, saving approximately $8 millionLos Angeles has pioneered a groundbreaking method for recycling old asphalt pavement through microwave technology. This inventive technique...
- Pennsylvania used 5,570 tons of shredded tires in the Tarrtown Bridge approaches; project estimated to save about $514,000Discarded tires are being creatively transformed into lightweight aggregate for use in road construction. This innovative method not only a...
- Oregon’s bridge program diverted 640,162 tons of construction material from landfills; FHWA valued the landfill diversion at $21.3 million across 208 bridgesBundled bridge contracts streamline multiple projects into a cohesive framework, enhancing efficiency and minimizing costs. This strategy p...
- Colorado rebuilt part of US 24 by reconditioning its old asphalt in place; the $5.7 million project avoided hauling in more than 40,000 tons of new baseColorado has made strides in sustainable road maintenance with the successful recycling of old asphalt on US Highway 24. By saving over 40,...
- Arkansas recycled old I-30 concrete in place, avoiding more than 95,000 tons of new stone and about $15,000 in truck fuelArkansas has made strides in sustainable development by recycling old concrete on Interstate 30 near Little Rock. The innovative technique ...
- In 2011, Colorado reused 134,000 tons of old asphalt in highway mixes; CDOT estimated the recycled material saved the state about $1.6 millionColorado's innovative approach to roadway construction has resulted in significant savings, repurposing old asphalt in new projects. By emb...
- In 2011, CEQ, EPA and GSA launched a national electronics plan. 15 years later, 2.4 billion EPEAT products generated $24.6 billion in savings for buyers nationwide2011 strategy emerged at a time when computers, monitors, printers, mobile devices and other electronics were becoming increasingly importa...
- In 2014, Royal Society of Chemistry scientists extracted D-limonene from waste orange peels at 96% purity, turning citrus processing waste into bio-based asphalt modifiersCitrus waste, previously considered rubbish, is now transformed into a valuable resource. D-limonene, derived from orange peels, is emergin...
- In 2014, Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago cold-composted 320 tons of grass clippings across 120 acres, lifting waste diversion from 18% to 39% overallThe scale of Lovell’s campus made the strategy particularly significant. The facility occupied approximately 120 acres and included a full ...
- In 2022, Duke students shredded and melted plastics 1, 2, 4 and 5 into bricks; a $248.84 setup produced blocks holding over 5,000 N in compression testsStudents at Duke University embarked on an innovative project, transforming everyday household plastic waste into strong building bricks. T...
- RMIT engineers mixed 1% recycled cigarette butts into fired-clay bricks, and the bricks matched standard strength while cutting firing energy by 10%In Melbourne, engineers are pioneering a groundbreaking technique to integrate discarded cigarette butts into building bricks. This eco-fri...
- In Massachusetts, Bar-Way Farm digests 36,500 tons of food waste and 9,125 tons of manure every year, producing enough electricity for 900 homesIn Deerfield, Massachusetts, Bar-Way Farm is leading the charge in renewable energy by harnessing food waste and cow manure to create elect...
- In 2007, Capannori rejected a new incinerator and embraced zero waste. 19 years later, its door-to-door system helped push recycling above 80% and inspire Italy’s movementCapannori, a town near Lucca in Tuscany, developed a Zero Waste approach after residents opposed a proposed incinerator. Rossano Ercolini a...
- 32,600 used tires did not go to a landfill. Instead, Michigan turned them into a 1.15-mile road in Clare County that can also reduce traffic noise. The next target is Detroit roadsMichigan is turning discarded tires into road-building material, with 32,600 passenger tire equivalents reused on a 1.15-mile stretch of Ha...
- In 2019, RMIT researchers fired clay bricks mixed with treated sewage sludge; a 25% biosolids batch cut firing energy by 48.6% while passing strength testsResearchers are exploring ways to recycle sewage sludge into building materials. Mixing biosolids into clay significantly cuts the energy n...
- In 1962, NASA packed 22,900 gallons of water into a Saturn I rocket and deliberately released it 65 miles above Earth to see how water behaved in the upper atmosphereNASA scientists have long explored recycling resources for extended space travel. Plants and microorganisms could help regenerate vital sup...
- Americans discard about 15 million tons of asphalt roof shingles a year, but old roofs can be ground up and put straight back into the roads people drive onMillions of tons of asphalt shingles are disposed of annually in the United States. These old roofing materials can be processed into recyc...
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