Have you ever wondered what is concrete crushing? Did you even know it was a thing? And why is it better than hauling? Prior to the 1970’s hundreds of millions of tons of concrete was hauled and buried in US landfills annually. When demolition or construction projects wrapped up it was common to just take the left over concrete to the dump. According to the EPA website, by 2018 the United States was generating 600 million tons of concrete demolition debris. That’s enough to pave 120,000 miles of 4-lane highway, build 3000 empire state buildings, or 9,000 AT&T stadiums (that’s where the Cowboys play.) That is a lot of waste. Today, over 70% of concrete demolition debris is recycled through concrete crushing.

In this post, we’ll explain exactly what concrete crushing is, how it works, and why it’s quickly becoming the preferred method for contractors, developers, and municipalities looking to save time and money while reducing waste.

What Is Concrete Crushing?

Concrete crushing is the process of taking large chunks of broken concrete and turning them into smaller, reusable pieces, commonly known as recycled concrete aggregate (RCA). This is typically done with specialized equipment like jaw crushers or impact crushers. At Derksen Companies, we use mobile concrete crushers, which allow us to bring this service directly to your job site. The outcome is a compact pile of crushed concrete that can be reused on-site or hauled to the next project, often as road base, structural fill, or sub-grade material.

Why Is Crushing Better Than Hauling?

Construction companies have realized that concrete crushing is better than hauling concrete to the dump for a number of reasons:

1. Significant Cost Savings

• Hauling concrete to a dump means:
• Paying for transportation
• Paying disposal or tipping fees
• Paying again to bring in new base material

With concrete crushing, you eliminate all three costs. You process the material where it sits and reuse it immediately thereby saving thousands of dollars on large-scale jobs.

2. Faster Project Timelines

Every extra haul takes time. Waiting for trucks, scheduling disposal, coordinating new deliveries. It all adds up. With on-site crushing, your crew can move from demo to rebuild without delay. Materials are already on hand, crushed and compacted to spec.

3. Environmental Responsibility

Sending concrete to the landfill is a waste, literally. Concrete is 100% recyclable, and reusing it keeps thousands of tons of material out of landfills each year.

Crushing concrete on-site:

• Reduces your project's carbon footprint
• Cuts down on diesel emissions from hauling
• Earns points for green building certifications

It’s a win for your business and the planet.

4. Better Control Over Materials

With on-site crushing, you decide:

• What size the aggregate should be
• What stays and what gets removed
• How the crushed material will be reused

This level of control is a huge advantage when working under tight budgets or on complex site plans.

5. Ideal for Urban or Remote Projects

In areas where landfills are far away or traffic is a nightmare, hauling becomes a logistical headache. On-site concrete crushing brings the solution to you no matter how remote or congested the site.

When Should You Use Concrete Crushing?

Concrete crushing is ideal for:

• Commercial site development
• Road and parking lot removal
• Municipal building demolition
• Utility trenching and backfill reuse
• Any project with a large volume of leftover concrete

Whether you're clearing an industrial lot or removing a foundation, if concrete is part of the equation, crushing should be too.

What Impact Has Concrete Recycling Had on Landfills?

Concrete recycling has had a huge impact on landfills. Of the 600 million tons of concrete and demolition debris generated in 2018, only 143 tons made it to the landfill. Each year concrete recycling diverts hundreds of millions of tons from the landfills. In the 1940’s the US did near-zero recycling. Today over 76% is recycled.

Another impact is to our natural landscapes. Recycling concrete means we don’t need to dig for virgin gravel and sand. And it also saves on transport emissions, transport and tipping fees and offers reusable aggregate—giving contractors cost and material control.

Work Smarter with Derksen Concrete Crushing Services

At Derksen Companies, we provide full-service mobile concrete crushing across the Front Range of Colorado. Our experienced crew and high-performance equipment handle everything so you can reduce costs, cut down on waste, and finish faster.

Want to see if concrete crushing is right for your project? Request a quote today and let’s talk.