Crushing in urban areas is nothing new in the United States, yet it’s unheard of in some parts of the world, including China.
The country places strict requirements on when and where crushers can be used, especially in urban areas like Beijing. China’s government also emphasizes environmental protection. Wolfgang Kormann, CEO of Rockster, says Beijing’s local government pushes for environmental protection, as well, so naturally rules on what can and cannot be done in construction projects are stricter.
“The rules to work in the city with a crusher are very strict because of the limited noise level, fuel emissions and dust regulations,” says Kormann.
Kormann says one Chinese recycling company was able to use a Rockster portable crusher in downtown Beijing this spring. According to Rockster, this is the first Chinese construction project that allowed material to be crushed in an urban area.
Beijing City Road and Bridge Construction Group partnered with Beijing Yu Long Environment Protection recycling company to crush and renew pavement in the Daxing District of Beijing. The recycling company used Rockster’s R700S impact crusher to recycle asphalt and concrete directly on the downtown jobsite, which allowed the construction group to reuse the material almost immediately.
Because Rockster’s portable crusher is fairly quiet, Kormann says it met local noise regulations. He says he was also able to explain some of the portable crusher’s environmental benefits, as the crusher’s fuel consumption is fairly low.
“The R700S fulfilled all of the city’s requirements and still produced more than 100 tph in high quality,” Kormann says.
Rockster reports the end result of this project processed about 5,500 tons of feeding material. Beijing’s construction group also saved transportation and fuel costs by having the material crushed downtown where it was needed.
Kormann says crushing in urban areas of China could be on the rise. He says China may start to see savings in transportation costs by crushing in downtown areas where the product is needed most.