The Fate of the Collective Remains Undecided by the Commission
Revamping Quebec's road construction might be quite a challenge, but it's a mission worth pursuing, especially considering the industry's aim to reduce emissions.
According to Bitume Quebec, nearly half a million tonnes of CO2 equivalent were produced in 2024 from bituminous mixture production, representing 0.6% of the province's emissions. If Quebec is to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, every stone must be turned.
Enterprising minds in the industry and academia are diligently striving to find means to minimize the carbon footprint associated with road construction. Stéphane Trudeau, Technical Director of Bitume Quebec, highlighted the importance of maximizing the use of recycled bituminous aggregates.
One key area for improvement is the design and maintenance of roads. Proper maintenance can extend a road's lifespan and thereby lower its carbon footprint. Additionally, increasing the recycling of old pavements is another promising approach—currently, bituminous mixtures in Quebec contain an average of only 15% recycled bituminous aggregates.
To achieve higher recycling rates, Quebec producers could potentially incorporate an average of 27% recycled bituminous aggregates into their mixtures. The materials needed for this are plentiful, with 4.5 million tonnes of crushed pavement sitting idle in yards.
Academics, too, are jumping on board. With a lamentable state of Quebec's road network and a $40 billion maintenance deficit, solutions being developed are crucial. Professor Éric Lachance-Tremblay of the École de technologie supérieure in Montreal is advocating for better repair practices for municipalities, including the use of a recycling train.
This method involves a series of vehicles following each other to remove the pavement, lay a cement foundation, prepare used asphalt, spread the recycled material, flatten it, and reopen the road within three hours. Innovative approaches such as these hold great promise for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in road construction.
For Quebec to truly crack the code on sustainable road construction, a multifaceted approach is needed. Collaboration with local universities, adoption of sustainable materials, reviewing and updating policies, public education, and extending producer responsibility programs are all potential strategies to explore. Timely implementation of these strategies in a phased manner could help Quebec achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2050.
- The challenge of revamping Quebec's road construction industry takes on significant importance, given its aim to reduce emissions and help Quebec reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
- Stéphane Trudeau, Technical Director of Bitume Quebec, emphasizes the significance of maximizing the use of recycled bituminous aggregates to minimize the carbon footprint associated with road construction.
- Incorporating an average of 27% recycled bituminous aggregates into Quebec's bituminous mixture production could potentially yield higher recycling rates.
- With 4.5 million tonnes of crushed pavement sitting idle in yards, the needed materials for this approach seem plentiful.
- Professor Éric Lachance-Tremblay proposes the use of a recycling train for municipalities as a promising solution to improve repair practices and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in road construction.
- To achieve sustainable road construction in Quebec, collaboration with local universities, adoption of sustainable materials, policy review, public education, and extending producer responsibility programs should all be considered as potential strategies.
- Implementing strategies such as these in a phased manner could assist Quebec in reaching its carbon neutrality goal by 2050, highlighting the importance of a multifaceted approach in tackling climate change, as well as in promoting health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, environmental-science, education-and-self-development, and learning.
