From India to Indiana, from Cumbria, England to Corpus Christi, Texas, everyone agrees the amount of free-floating plastic in the environment is an ongoing problem. With an estimated 5 trillion pieces of plastic adrift on the surface of the ocean alone and uncountable more tons of the material in landfills and vacant lots all over the world, plastic both makes our current standard of living possible and poses one of its most dire threats.

At Calvac Paving, we make a point of keeping current on the latest breakthroughs and experiments in building and paving technologies, and new processes for repurposing plastic as a paving material is very much in our wheelhouse. Several different processes are in the testing stage, including using plastic to coat paving aggregates and reduce the amount of bitumen necessary for traditional asphalt; adding pellets of recycled plastic as part or all of the aggregate portion of the asphalt; and a Lego-like process of building roads from paving blocks of recycled plastic.

Apart from the obvious advantages of reducing the environmental impact of discarded free-range plastic, the primary benefit of utilizing plastic-impregnated asphalt is twofold. First, using plastic seems to increase the tensile strength of asphalt significantly, up to 60% in certain mixes.

Second, by reducing the amount of bitumen, or tar, used as the binding agent in most industrial asphalt mixes, it may also cut the cost of paving by up to 15%. The higher tensile strength potentially increases the size and mass of traffic which can use these roadways, meaning it may be possible to move more freight and larger vehicles in areas where existing paving and statutes would simply not permit them. In turn, this could substantially reduce transportation costs and thus the costs of everything from steel to gasoline to milk.

In addition, plastic-impregnated asphalt may lend itself more readily to hybridization with innovations such as the self-charging roads which we’ve discussed recently. As the costs of developing and deploying these technologies shrink, the likelihood of incorporating multiple technologies into a single roadway increase at a similar rate.

Almost as interesting as what plastic asphalt can do is the story of the various ways in which its applications came to be. In India, a chemistry professor, annoyed with the potholes of his city, remembered seeing people in Mumbai patching similar potholes by filling them with empty plastic bottles

and then heating them to a liquid state. In Scotland, an engineer built on the India protocol by using pellets of recycled plastic, aggregate and a very small amount of bituminous binder to create a roadway surface which causes less wear on tires. Meanwhile, a company in the Netherlands backing the block paving strategy was inspired by the idea that using interlocking blocks would allow for easier infrastructure placement and damaged section replacement.

By reducing the amount of “trash” plastic in the open environment and repurposing it in new ways, these innovators are also challenging accepted notions of what is possible in large-scale construction. These changes in turn may serve to make not only the final product of construction initiatives, but the processes and techniques by which they are created, more efficient, effective and environmentally friendly.

Calvac Paving takes our role in environmental sustainability and finding better ways to accomplish the tasks we undertake more effectively and safely very seriously. It is the entire reason we keep such a close eye on how construction technology is changing and evolving. When and where possible, we make it a point to adopt and implement these changes ourselves, because while we know the “tried and true” methods have survived and been used as long as they have for very good reasons, we also understand there’s almost always a better way to do just about anything if you’re willing to look hard enough for it.

We at Calvac Paving believe we can best serve the communities we live and work in by emphasizing the fastest, safest and most c
ost-effective means available to do our jobs, while striving to reduce the impact our industry can have on the global as well as local environment. It’s all part of Calvac Paving’s commitment to not just doing the job, but doing it right. We do it for our clients/stakeholders, for our community and for a better, cleaner, healthier world. To learn more about Calvac’s commitment to the environment, or to put the four decades of experience we bring to every project to work for your job, please contact us at (408) 225-7700  or https://www.calvacpaving.com/contact-us/

At Calvac Paving, we love a challenge. When St. Francis Retreat in San Juan Bautista needed an overhaul of their existing roadway, we were pleased to lend our experience and expertise to the task. The retreat is in a secluded rural setting just outside the town proper, which created some specific concerns we needed to be cognizant of during the project.

Working in a rural area, we had to plan our work in such a way as to minimize the impact on the environment and existing flora and fauna, as well as ensure we avoided disruption of the operations and tranquility of the Retreat itself as much as possible. In addition, we had to consider the safety of our personnel and the general public. Finally, the historic nature of the Retreat had to be taken into account and treated with respect.

The roadway is approximately 1 3/4 miles long and required 2,300 tons of hot-mix asphalt. The rehabilitation consisted of pulverizing, regrading and compacting the existing asphalt as additional base material.  Then we laid replacement hot-mix in one 3” lift, compacted.  

We are pleased to report the renovation operation went very smoothly. The local residents, staff and visitors were very patient with the unavoidable disruption a project of this sort involves. We were able to complete the project ahead of schedule and within budget, without injury or harm to the area or anyone involved in or affected by it. Best of all, the Retreat now has a great-looking, high-performance roadway which can be expected to last for years to come.  

Calvac Paving has been serving the Bay Area since 1972. Let us put our craftsmanship and knowledge to work for you on your next project. For quality, safety and efficiency without parallel, we’re proud to be the construction solution for all your paving project needs!

In 2015, we reported Calvac Paving has maintained a high degree of safety, as measured by reduction adjustment to our worker’s compensation insurance premiums. These numbers are released annually, which means we just received the latest figures on our performance. The 2018 California Experience Modification ratings for workers’ compensation insurance have now been released, and once again Calvac Paving is proud to be an industry leader in workplace safety! 

Calvac Paving’s rating of 76 is well below the industry standard and means that we pay nearly 25% less than what many of our competitors pay for identical workers’ compensation coverage. This means we have had more than 25% fewer incidents and lost working hours than industry actuaries would anticipate for our line of work. Obviously, this is better for our employees and the company as a whole, because it means our training programs and safety protocols are working, and of course, the financial benefits are welcome as well. However, this means a lot more than just a bump in the bottom line to us at Calvac Paving. 

An Ex-Mod score of 100 is considered “average,” while an Ex-Mod of 125 would be “high-risk.” Employers with an Ex-Mod of 100 pay the full premium for their worker’s compensation insurance, while a high-risk employer would pay the full premium plus 25%. This metric means our employees are more likely to practice sound safety on the jobsite, while in transit and at the yard, increasing the odds they will all get home to their loved ones in the same condition they left for work. This, in turn, allows clients to accept our job bids with confidence that they will receive consistently excellent work, produced with safety uppermost in mind at all times.

Calvac’s safety program includes:

• Up-to-date training on the latest OSHA and DOSH policies, procedures and protocols
• First aid training including CPR
• Hazard identification and mitigation
• Workplace and job site safety and loss prevention
• IIPP and Early Return to Work programs which allow injured employees to return to work on modified duty while remaining in compliance with healthcare provider recommendations and directives

Our insurance brokers have stated in the past that Calvac’s safety initiatives have been so successful, we are setting the standard for how safety training and associated loss prevention ought to be carried out. As we take a great deal of pride in being the benchmark for excellence in every facet of our operations, this is always welcome feedback.

The principals and management of Calvac Paving are very proud to once more be able to prove we are among the best in the construction industry at what we do. Our emphasis on proactive safety training and implementation means our employees have more productive days with a lower risk of injury, allowing them to perform at their best at work and in their personal lives. We are also pleased that our clients get to reap the benefits of our training in terms of increased production and reasonable budgets, with less potential for damaging incidents.

Construction is not an easy field in which to balance safety with productivity. However, we at Calvac are proud to show it’s not just possible; for us, it’s just the way we do our jobs, every time, every day. We look forward to continuing to prove our commitment to safety and a task done well for many years to come, working to keep our employees, clients and the general public safe as we go.

Calvac Paving, a Bay Area asphalt and concrete maintenance company, is attending at CACM’s (California Association of Community Managers) Northern CA Law Seminar & Expo.

This event will be held January 24th and 25th at the  Santa Clara Convention Center. According to a Calvac Paving spokesperson, the event is “California’s premier event for the community management industry!”

The Calvac Paving team will be exhibiting at Booth #1021 in the Paradise Found Exhibit Hall. Also, they are Welcome Reception Drink Ticket Sponsors, to be held on Thursday January 24th from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. The reception will include appetizers, a no-host bar and informal networking.

Beyond the exhibit, the event will enable many in California’s management industry to learn and grow professionally. CACM notes, “Let’s face it, the demands and expectations community managers face have never been greater. Do you have the knowledge, expertise and tools you need to meet and exceed those expectations and move your career forward? At this year’s Law Seminar & Expo, we’re bringing California’s best and brightest to help you get there.”

“We hope that all attendees can stop by our booth at the exhibit,” said a Calvac Paving spokesperson. “With over 40 years of experience in the industry, we are looking forward to sharing our expertise and meeting new clients!”

About Calvac Paving:
Calvac Paving is a full-service asphalt and concrete maintenance company that has been serving the greater Bay Area since 1974.

Calvac Paving
2645 Pacer Lane
San Jose, Ca 95111
408-225-7700