The concrete industry and most other industries are under
pressure to gain better control over their waste streams. This
industry hasn't been negligent, however. For years, we have
incorporated various technologies for dust suppression and
collection and reclaiming ready-mix. Unfortunately, these
conservation efforts don't prevent many operations from
continuing to dump on the back of their lots. The "washout
mountain" takes up unnecessary space and can be an environmental
hazard, usually necessitating costly removal. But there is
another option: recycling the concrete by crushing and
screening. This not only solves the problem of disposal, but
creates a product that can be sold as a road base. Some
producers also accept concrete from demolition work to their
recycling program. The amount of money saved by recycling
instead of hauling concrete away is quite significant. The cost
of excavation and hauling 40,000 tons of concrete totals around
$138,000 while the cost of crushing the same amount and then
selling