Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) has so many advantages that are seemingly unknown to the average person that it is incredible. Besides being smooth, safe, quiet, durable and economical, there are many other reasons for making HMA the pavement of choice nationwide.

HMA gets little credit in the Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) for the advantages of nighttime paving, speed of construction, stage construction and environmentally friendly technology.

Environmentally and scientifically, HMA has many advantages. HMA is 100% recyclable but only 80.3% is recycled; however, that number is growing. HMA is recycled twice as much as plastic, paper, aluminum and glass combined.

HMA has been scrutinized by governmental agencies, scientists and others and has been found to be well below unacceptable emission standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The HMA industry has partnered with the EPA, NIOSH, labor unions, operating engineers and academia, and all have determined that HMA has no adverse effects on our workers, neighbors and customers.

In fact, the HMA industry is being very proactive by using and testing European technology called Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA). WMA is applied to the road at significantly lower temperatures, which reduces emissions even lower than acceptable levels and also saves substantial energy.

Somehow we need to get our message out beyond “preaching to the choir”. The HMA industry has so many advantages; however, many DOT’s , counties, cities, consultants, architects and developers don’t seem to be aware of or are reluctant to accept them.