Award for Innovation for VEGECOL binder received at the 23rd World Road Congress in Paris

COLAS has achieved an important success in the area of development of progressive materials. The group received the award for innovation at the World Road Association PIARC for development of the VEGECOL binder. This is the first plant-based binder agent on the market that has been developed as a replacement for bitumen (asphalt). Use of VEGECOL would dramatically reduce the amount of emissions causing the greenhouse effect. Moreover, its temperature during application is much lower than the temperature required for the application of bitumen, which means energy saving. From an aesthetics point of view, transparent VEGECOL enhances the natural colour of aggregate and thus harmonizes with the surrounding countryside. VEGECOL may be coloured by adding special pigments, which allows highlighting of certain parts of roads, car parks, bicycle routes, etc. The VEGECOL technology offers physical and mechanical properties at a level equivalent with the traditional asphalt mixtures.