Aggregate Recycling 101: Setting Up Your First Mobile Crushing Operation
A practical guide to launching a mobile aggregate recycling operation — equipment selection, permitting, market access, and first-year economics. From a broker who has helped contractors make the jump.
Aggregate Recycling 101: Setting Up Your First Mobile Crushing Operation
Concrete and asphalt recycling is one of the few segments in heavy equipment where demand consistently outpaces supply in most regions. Contractors who add mobile crushing capacity capture revenue from a stream most operators still pay to dispose of. Here is what setting one up actually looks like.
The opportunity
A typical demolition or paving project generates 200-2,000 tons of concrete and asphalt waste. Hauling it costs:
- Transport: $8-$18 per ton depending on distance to a recycler
- Tipping fees: $10-$45 per ton at most regional facilities
- Labor and equipment idle time while loading/hauling
Total disposal cost on a mid-size project: $5,000-$50,000.
Mobile crushing converts that waste into:
- Recycled aggregate — sells for $8-$22 per ton as base or fill material
- Premium crushed product — sells for $14-$32 per ton for structural fill or road base
- Direct project use — eliminates the need to purchase virgin aggregate (typically $14-$28 per ton delivered)
Net swing per project on a mid-size demolition: $15,000-$80,000 in your favor.
The two-machine starter setup
Most successful first-year operators run two machines:
1. Primary jaw crusher ($175K-$325K used)
Models we see most often in the starter segment:
- IROCK TJ-2745 — entry-level, well-supported, common in the Northeast
- Powerscreen Metrotrak HA — compact, road-portable
- McCloskey J45 — popular mid-range, strong dealer network
2. Mobile screener ($150K-$250K used)
To make a sellable product, you need to separate fines from crushed material:
- Powerscreen Chieftain 1400 — classic entry screener
- McCloskey S130 — compact, well-matched to jaw output
- IROCK TS-516 — value-priced
Some operators add a magnet for rebar separation — typically $8K-$15K for a deck-mount magnetic separator.
Permitting reality
This is where most first-time operators underestimate the work. Mobile crushing operations typically need:
- Air quality permit — dust control requirements vary by state. EPA Tier 4 engines are required for new units; some states require water spray suppression.
- Stormwater permit — most jurisdictions require a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) for crushing operations
- Local zoning approval — for operating on a host site or your own yard
- Noise compliance — sound levels at property line, often 65-75 dB max during operating hours
- DOT compliance for the trailer-mounted units when moving between sites
Budget 60-120 days for the first round of permits. Subsequent sites are faster once you have a template.
The first-year economics
Realistic year-one numbers for a single-jaw / single-screener operation working off your own jobs:
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Equipment purchase (used pair) | $350K-$550K |
| Down payment (15-20%) | $50K-$110K |
| Monthly equipment payment | $5K-$8K |
| Operating cost per ton processed | $4-$7 |
| Revenue per ton (avoided disposal + product sales) | $20-$45 |
| Net margin per ton | $13-$38 |
| Break-even tonnage per year | 8,000-15,000 tons |
A mid-size demolition contractor doing 25,000-40,000 tons per year usually breaks even by month 7-9.
How contractors typically scale into it
Stage 1: Rent. Bring in a mobile crushing contractor for a few jobs. Track the actual cost savings and revenue. Verify your operator can run the equipment.
Stage 2: Buy used and run for your own jobs. Single-machine operation for 6-12 months. Goal is to validate the operational model on YOUR projects without simultaneously trying to sell to third parties.
Stage 3: Add third-party crushing services. Once your team is competent, take on contract crushing for other demolition companies. Pricing typically runs $4-$8 per ton processed with the host providing the feedstock and you bringing the machine.
Stage 4: Add a second crusher. Cone or impact crusher to produce premium structural product. This is where margins step up significantly.
What you need beyond the crushers
- Wheel loader — feeding the crusher. 3-4 yard class minimum.
- Excavator — for selective demolition and pre-breaking large pieces
- Hauling capacity — for moving product to buyers if you are selling
- Yard space — material storage between processing and sale
- Buyers lined up — paving contractors, concrete plants, municipal road departments
Common questions
Q: Jaw vs impact for starting out?
A: Jaw, almost always. Lower wear cost, simpler operation, more forgiving of contaminated feed. Move to impact for premium product once you have the operation running.
Q: Should I crush my own material first or take third-party work first?
A: Own material. You learn on YOUR jobs where you control the schedule and quality. Selling crushing services before you are operationally sharp is how reputations get damaged.
Q: What is the realistic operator learning curve?
A: 200-400 hours of operator time before you are running efficiently. Plan for slower throughput in the first 30 days.
Q: Are there grants or financing programs specific to recycling equipment?
A: Some states offer recycling-business grants and tax credits. The EPA has occasional clean-equipment programs. Talk to your state environmental agency before financing.
At RPG Equipment
We carry jaw crushers, impact crushers, cone crushers, and screeners from the brands that work in mobile recycling. If you are evaluating specific machines for a first-year operation, call (508) 625-9271. We will tell you what is realistic for your project mix.
RPG Equipment is a heavy equipment brokerage based in Worcester, MA specializing in grinders, crushers, screeners, and material processing equipment. Contact us to buy or sell equipment, or browse more articles.