The Greening Of Asphalt

摘要

"It is the best of times. It is the worst of times," was an amended Charles Dickens quote that Mac Badgett, outgoing chairman, used to launch this year's National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) 54th Annual meeting. Badgett, who is with Vulcan Materials, Birmingham, AL, turned the session and gavel over to Jim Weeks, who is with Colas Inc., Cincinnati, OH. Like the rest of the nation, the attendees at this year's meeting are waiting to see what the much-discussed Infrastructure Stimulus Package will put into motion. Since asphalt is about pavements, it's obvious that the distribution and disbursement of these stimulus funds will have a direct impact on the attendees' immediate and long term futures. Weeks told the audience of asphalt contractors and equipment manufacturers about how the association's national and state leaders joined forces to examine the radical conditions affecting the market. With asphalt being an oil-based product, the unprecedented oil price increases hit the market with unexpected challenges and set backs.