Recycling

 

Recycled Land 

As the largest producer of sand and gravel in Maryland, we are also one of Southern Maryland’s largest employers. Our roots in the community are deep, enduring and built on trust. So is our commitment to preserving the beauty and health of the land—we recognize that the environment must be treated with respect and with an eye to the future. The company employs best industry practices in aggregate and concrete operations, land management, mining and reclamation while providing something we will all need as long as civilization exists. 

Our goal is to leave a mine site in better condition than how we found it. Once we are finished mining land, we always reclaim it. Reclaiming land means that we restore it to its original use, or to a condition supporting an approved alternative. While some areas become wetlands to serve as habitats for plants and animals, other mine sites have been reclaimed as farmland, green space, housing developments, recreational facilities and even an 18-hole golf course. 

Raw Materials

Concrete can contain recycled content that serves as a replacement for cement. Some of these replacement materials are fly ash (a byproduct of coal burning) and slag (a byproduct of metal refining). Learn more about fly ash and slag here.  

Recycled Concrete 

One of the most sustainable features of concrete is its ability to be recycled when it is finished with its long service life. Chaney Enterprises alone processes more than 100 million pounds of recycled concrete a year.  By diverting construction waste from landfills, the use of recycled concrete not only helps protect the environment, but also saves money by reusing material, and avoiding disposal fees. Recycled concrete is made on site at most of our Maryland and Virginia locations by crushing returned or demolition concrete.