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Pavements 2026

Pavement Innovation & Sustainability

From Waste to Value: Plastic-Based Pavement Solutions and Digital Carbon Tracking

Digitization of Asphalt Mix EPD Data: Trends in GWP and Material Usage

Wednesday, July 1, 2026
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM East Coast USA Time
Abstract: As climate change continues to pose a significant threat globally, implementing sustainable practices in construction has become crucial. The construction of asphalt pavement has a notable impact on the environment due to its energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions highlighting the need for low-carbon alternatives. Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) have emerged as an essential tool for quantifying the environmental impacts of different products. This paper analyses data from approximately 5000 published EPDs for asphalt mixtures across the United States. It presents nationwide and region-specific trends and variations in mix compositions and their corresponding environmental impacts. The results have been presented in the form of GIS maps and statistical distributions to facilitate in-depth understanding. The effects of mixture constituents such as Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP), lime, and binder type/grade on environmental impact have been inspected; variations in RAP usage across the country were also tracked. The overall objective is to get a picture of where the country stands in terms of the environmental impacts reported by published EPDs. A good understanding of the current situation will help any course corrections required to support the industry’s journey towards net-zero emissions and guide policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in developing more sustainable asphalt technologies.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees can expect to learn the following from this session:
  • Upon completion, participants will be able to describe the role of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in evaluating and comparing the environmental impacts of asphalt mixtures.
  • Upon completion, participants will be able to understand nationwide and regional trends in asphalt mixture compositions and their corresponding greenhouse gas emissions using EPD data.
  • Upon completion, participants will be able to interpret the influence of mixture constituents, such as RAP content, lime use, and binder type, on environmental performance and sustainability outcomes.