Nonhazardous Recycled Materials: A Reuse Information System (0-4249-S)

The construction materials cycle begins with the extraction or harvest of raw materials and transformation to a commodity, which is then incorporated into a finished material or product. This product is then used for some purpose such as a road, building, or other consumer product. Once the useful life of that structure or product is over, it then becomes a part of the waste stream. That waste stream can either terminate in a landfill, or the material may be recycled for further use. Several materials have been considered as candidates for recycling into Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) projects and have been tested in one or more demonstration projects. Some of these materials include plastics, glass, rubber, recycled asphalt, and slag.