According to new data released by the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), asphalt pavement remains America’s most recycled product.
The industry’s 15th annual recycled materials survey showed that nearly 100 percent of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) was put back into use during the 2024 construction season, saving taxpayers billions and significantly reducing the industry’s environmental footprint.
Additional findings from 2024 highlight the asphalt pavement industry’s commitment to resource management and fiscal stewardship, in partnership with federal and state partners.
Increase of recycled RAP in new roads saves taxpayers money
Producers incorporated 101.4 million tons of RAP into new asphalt mixtures and other civil engineering applications, a nearly 47 percent increase in utilization rates since 2009.
- Massive taxpayer savings: The use of recycled materials saved an estimated $4.7 billion in 2024 alone — equivalent to about $35 per U.S. household.
- Unrivaled resource conservation: Recycling replaced 27.9 million barrels of asphalt binder (enough to fill 1,775 Olympic-sized swimming pools) and 96 million tons of virgin aggregate (enough to build 18 Hoover Dams).
- Landfill diversion: The industry successfully kept 72.5 million cubic yards of material out of landfills (enough to fill the Empire State Building 53 times).
- Warm-mix momentum: Production of warm-mix asphalt (WMA) reached 178.3 million tons, representing 40.2 percent of the total market — evidence of an industry-wide shift toward lower-temperature, energy-efficient technologies.
NAPA advocates for Congress to incentivize RAP use
While the 2024 data showcase a high-performing industry, NAPA is leveraging these findings to advocate for smart sustainability policies in the upcoming federal surface transportation reauthorization.
NAPA is urging Congress to incentivize states to adopt high-RAP mixtures by increasing the federal share for projects that exceed 25 percent RAP usage.
“The record-breaking milestone of 2024 proves that contractor innovation is ready to scale,” said NAPA Vice President for Engineering, Research, and Technology J. Richard Willis, PhD. “By including incentives for recycled materials in the next reauthorization bill, we can save state DOTs billions while maintaining the pavement performance and quality American taxpayers expect.”
Data gathering for the 2025 season is underway
To maintain this momentum, the report identifies a critical action step: the continued engineering of recycled mixtures to ensure high-performance standards are met alongside sustainability goals. The industry is already looking ahead.
NAPA is gathering data for the 2025 construction season now to document ongoing trends in RAP and WMA use. Asphalt mix producers around the country are strongly encouraged to participate. Voluntary, anonymous responses are the only way to accurately tabulate this vital national data and isolate useful data at the state level.
A secondary report focusing on the energy and greenhouse gas emission-reduction benefits of RAP and WMA is scheduled for release later this spring.
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