Unlike many asphalt contractors in the area, Michigan Paving & Materials Co., not only provides paving services to organizations across the state, but we also produce our own asphalt. This gives us a number of unique competitive advantages compared to other asphalt contractors in the area. Because we produce all of our own asphalt, we thought it would be a good idea to explain some important facts related to Michigan asphalt plants.

Fun Facts About Michigan Asphalt Plants

 While you likely rarely think twice about the asphalt that you walk or drive on, paving materials are actually quite remarkable. Read on to learn some facts that you’ve likely never realized about Michigan asphalt pavement plants.

Michigan Asphalt Plants Are Heavily Regulated By The EPA

Asphalt pavement mixing facilities such as those owned and operated by Michigan Paving & Materials Co., are highly regulated by the EPA. Asphalt mixing facilities utilize multiple emission control systems to ensure all the chemicals that are used in the asphalt mixing process are properly managed, stored and regulated.

More than a decade ago, the EPA actually delisted asphalt plants as a major source of air pollution due to a review of their emissions that indicated they did not pose an environmental health hazard.

Emissions Are Continuing To Improve At Asphalt Mixing Plants

The majority of emissions released from asphalt plants come from the combustion of fuels that are used to dry and heat the rock to keep the asphalt as hot as necessary. Most other emission materials are caught by a series of filters and controls that prevents them from ever entering the outside environment.

While you may drive by a Michigan asphalt paving plant and see emissions leaving the plant’s stack, this is usually almost all steam, which is just the result of water vapor loss during the drying of aggregate.

Not All Asphalt Is Created Equal

One of the reasons we produce our own asphalt at Michigan Paving & Materials Co. is because it offers us full control over the entire mixing process. When the EPA has examined various asphalt mixing plants across the nation, one thing they found is that not all asphalt is created equal, which means you should be careful where and from who you purchase your asphalt materials.

Contact Michigan Paving & Materials Co. For More Information

We’re always happy to discuss how we’re doing our part in our quest to utilize as much recycled paving material as possible and to limit the amount of emissions from our in-house asphalt plant. To learn more about why it pays to work with an asphalt company that produces its own paving materials, feel free to reach out to our team today.