Insights
Our experts share their thoughts on asphalt sustainability, innovation, safety and creating a culture of care.
Paving
The Evolution of Waste Tire Rubber in the Greening of the Asphalt Industry
The greatest innovations often have the most humble beginnings. So is the story of the use of waste tire rubber in asphalt pavements. Charlie McDonald – dubbed the father of asphalt rubber1 – pioneered this concept more than 70 years ago. McDonald’s camping trailer was leaking, and he needed a…
Good Binders Make RAP and RAS Better
As more DOT specifications call for increased percentages of recycled materials in asphalt hot mix, many still need to be convinced about the performance of pavements paved with RAP and/or RAS. Additionally, there’s confusion over the environmental and financial impact of using recycled materials. These are all valid concerns. However,…
Paving the Way for Sustainable Streets in Fort Worth
We recently partnered with Texas Materials (formerly TexasBit) to pave city streets in downtown Fort Worth using their multi-purpose asphaltic concrete, MAC Mix. The project resulted in a dense graded ARHM with a smooth, dark finish — but the kicker here is that the asphalt mix included up to 11%…
Building Better Pavements in Texas since 2014
Attending TXAPA’s Annual Meeting this week inspired us to reflect on our impact in the state. For almost a decade, our signature asphalt modifier, SigmaBond (which is manufactured righthere in Texas), has improved the longevity of pavements with qualities that enhanceperformance across the state’s unique regions. Join us as we…
Polyco makes inroads into Northern California
For years contractors in California have tried to incorporate used tire rubber into asphalt to extend the life of their roadways but with limited success. Recently, Polyco landed contracts in Northern California to assist with several paving projects powered by our proprietary Rapid Digestion Process™ (RDP), SigmaBond a revolutionary asphalt that…
SigmaBond Has a California State of Mind
A Note from Polyco: We have enjoyed working with independent asphalt consultant Skip Brown, bringing SigmaBond to Northern California. Read more about why he raves about Polyco’s product to his clients. My family had an asphalt business for over 70 years, started by my father, so I’ve been in this…
Independent Studies Prove that SigmaBond Results in Upcycled Performance
Focusing on what's possible is at the core of everything Polyco does. One of the innovations we are most excited about is the technology we’ve developed to reduce landfill waste by recycling waste tires. While there are many ways to recycle tires, Polyco’s patented Rapid Digestion Process (RDP) completely liquefies…
A Green Light on Greenbook Spec 315 SM
You’ve probably heard of the Little Black Book – the book of secrets! But that’s not the only book named for a color. We’ve been hard at work requesting revisions to The Greenbook that designates our industry’s material product and specifications. First published in 1967, The Greebook was a product…
Highlights from the August 2022 AASHTO Committee on Materials and Pavements (COMP) Meeting
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the AASHTO Comp meeting on materials and pavements. If you haven’t heard of AASHTO, it’s the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. AASHTO has a set of specifications and testing procedures for all materials that go into state DOT public…
The Sustainable Benefits of Terminal Rubber Modified Slurry Seal (TRMSS)
In my last post, we outlined the nuances between different types of slurry seals. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the benefits of terminal rubber modified slurry seal (TRMSS) and the significance of it for our partners in California. Using up to 80 percent more aggregate per…