Green Initiatives

Unique Paving Materials, the innovator of high performance pavement repair materials, was at the forefront of looking at its products’ eco-friendliness long before “Green” was a common buzzword.

In 1992 Unique’s UPM was the first cold mix to be tested with the 96-hour fish bioassay test.

What is a bioassay test? A bioassay test involves exposing organisms to a product to determine whether or not it is toxic. A specific endpoint (death) is selected for measurement.  

This test was run to determine whether UPM had any toxic effects (certification E-765). After 96 hours of exposure under water, all organisms had a 100% survival rate.

UPM Green is and will continue to be environmentally friendly, meeting State VOC regulations while giving our customers the performance of a permanent repair to which they have become accustomed. Our permanent repair performance is essential to environmental stewardship, as poor performing products require repeated repairs, eliminating the environmental benefit of reducing VOC.  This is due to increased equipment emissions and failed material to re-repair the pothole or utility cut.  Poor performing material accumulates in sewers and drains further increasing maintenance and equipment related VOCs. 

Also, in 1990, Unique Paving Materials developed Kold Flo, an environmentally friendly and safe to use cold applied crack filler. Using a cold applied rather than hot applied crack filler eliminates the use of a hot kettle, thereby limiting vapors and odors from extremely hot asphalt and polymers. 

Additionally, Unique Paving Materials recently developed both hot and cold in- place recycling agents, as well as a warm mix additive to help contractors and agencies re-use existing pavement and place new pavement at lower temperatures. These lower temperature products also help reduce emissions.

Unique also offers a more eco-friendly mix production service using our portable cold mix plant, eliminating the exhaust burner emissions typical of a hot mix plant.

Looking to the future, Unique Paving Materials’ research and development laboratory is working on other “Green” and “Permanent” repair solutions to help directly and indirectly improve our environmental footprint, and to continue Unique’s heritage of environmental responsibility and leadership for our customers, our employees, and our industry.