JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Department of Transportation knows that practicing the three “Rs” – reduce, reuse, recycle – has its benefits. It’s good for the environment. Plus, it allows MoDOT to stretch available resources to counter rising material and labor costs.
Last year, MoDOT saved taxpayers $17.5 million by using recycled components like roof shingles and recycled pavement in 3.2 million tons of new asphalt pavement.
“The $17.5 million savings is equivalent to improving more than 384 miles of two-lane roadway with a thin overlay,” said Jonathan Varner, MoDOT intermediate materials specialist.
Over the past five years, MoDOT has used 4.2 million tons of recycled material in hot-mix asphalt roadway projects. Additionally in 2017, MoDOT also used 31,000 tons of recycled concrete, steel/aluminum and timber.
Recycling efforts in MoDOT’s internal operations also saves money and cuts down on the volume in Missouri landfills. MoDOT recycled 2,455 tons of materials in 2017, up 333 tons from 2016. Most of that tonnage came from scrap metal and scrap tires.
“There is a cost to recycle some items,” Varner said. “But there is a cash return from the recycling of other materials.” The net revenue gain to MoDOT in 2017 was $282,000.
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