Hanson, UK, has launched a new asphalt product called Hanson ERA®.
The new energy reducing asphalt delivers a 50% reduction in carbon emissions while enhancing durability and improving health and safety for contractors. It can also use up to 50% recycled content, while the asphalt itself is 100% recyclable.
The Hanson ERA® production process allows a wide range of base, binder and surface course materials to be produced at temperatures of 80 and 95 °C – compared with up to 190 °C for equivalent hot-mix asphalt.
As well as the increased sustainability credentials, the lower temperature allows faster completion of resurfacing works, minimising time on site for contractors and disruption for motorists.
Hanson ERA® can also help local authorities reduce waste and carbon emissions and meet sustainability targets and Newport City Council, UK, has become one of the first to use it to resurface a heavily trafficked bus route.
Andrew Morris, chief highway engineer at Newport City Council said: “Using Hanson ERA® allowed the site to be planed out, resurfaced and reopened to traffic within a very short window of time.
“Testing has shown that the resistance to deformation is equivalent to standard hot-mix asphalt. We believe that adopting this new surface technology will help us meet our sustainability targets while providing durable longer lasting roads for our community.”