Asphalt is easier to recycle than concrete, but paving contractors in East Tennessee still get stuck hauling it to landfills that don't want it, paying per-ton rates that don't reflect its value, or stockpiling it because nobody nearby wants clean RAP. Right now that's changing.

SMSG in Maryville is taking clean asphalt drops for FREE during our free-load period. Clean millings, clean tear-outs, whatever you have from a paving job. Here's the full picture on asphalt disposal options across East TN so you can price the alternatives.

The Short Answer

Bring clean asphalt to SMSG, 245 Brookdale Rd, Maryville TN 37801. Hours are Mon-Fri 7 AM to 5 PM and Saturday 8 AM to noon. Right now during our free-load period, drops are FREE. Regular flat per-vehicle rates when the promo ends. Full details on the asphalt disposal page.

What Counts as Clean Asphalt

For it to qualify as clean at any recycling operation (including ours), the load should be:

Millings from a milling job (whether tack-coated or not)
Broken pavement from a tear-out
Overlay scarifying waste
Failed patch material stockpiled and needing to go

What we can't take:

Asphalt mixed with soil, base rock, or subgrade material
Roofing shingles or built-up roof scraps (different material, different plant)
Coal-tar sealcoat scraps (chemical concerns)
Anything mixed with wood, drywall, or trash

If your load is 90 percent asphalt with a little base gravel mixed in, call (865) 999-0857 before you come. Small amounts of aggregate contamination are usually fine.

Why Asphalt Recycling Matters

Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is one of the most-recycled materials in North America by tonnage. Asphalt binder itself is a valuable byproduct of oil refining and it holds up to being reheated, remixed, and reused indefinitely. Every ton of RAP that goes back into hot mix is a ton of new binder that didn't have to be imported and a ton of aggregate that didn't have to be mined.

TDOT (Tennessee Department of Transportation) allows RAP percentages in state hot mix designs. Contractors working TDOT jobs can drop clean millings at a recycling yard, cycle them through a plant into new mix, and use that mix on the next job. It's not a niche practice. It's how the industry runs.

See our RAP recycling for TDOT subs post for the full walkthrough.

Where East TN Contractors Have Been Dumping

Blount County Landfill: takes asphalt at C&D rates ($60/ton). Weekday-only, closes by 3 PM. Residency verification. Full breakdown in our Blount County Landfill hours post.

Knox County convenience centers: refuse asphalt outright. Commercial loads face a $1,000 fine. See the Knox County convenience center post.

Knoxville Transfer Station: refuses asphalt.

Private C&D landfills in Knox (Riverside, Poplar View): call-only pricing, limited hours, no Saturday.

WM Chestnut Ridge (Anderson): long haul, call-only pricing.

Asphalt plants directly: most plants will take clean RAP back for reuse, but only from established customers with a running relationship. Cold calls at the scale house usually don't work.

Where to Bring It Now

SMSG, 245 Brookdale Rd, Maryville TN. Clean asphalt drops are free right now during our free-load period. When the promo ends, we go back to flat per-vehicle pricing:

Pickup: $40
Single-axle trailer: $80
10-yard roll-off: $100
Tandem trailer: $120
Single-axle dump: $140
Tandem dump: $170
Tri-axle: $200

Same rates as our concrete drops. No per-ton scale ticket.

Cost Comparison for a Paving Crew

A typical residential driveway repave generates 8 to 12 tons of millings. A commercial parking lot resurfacing can push 40 to 100 tons per phase. Here's what those loads cost at the landfill versus SMSG.

| Job Size | Millings (tons) | Landfill @ $60/ton | SMSG Regular | SMSG Right Now | |----------|----------------|---------------------|--------------|----------------| | Residential driveway | 10 | $600 | $120-$170 | Free | | Small commercial lot | 40 | $2,400 | $400-$680 (multiple trips) | Free | | Large commercial project | 100+ | $6,000+ | $1,000-$1,700 (multiple trips) | Free |

Right now during the promo, that's real dollars back in the bid margin. Even when the promo ends, the flat-fee model beats $60/ton on anything larger than a small pickup load.

What About the Volume Play?

Paving crews running steady work sometimes ask about setting up an account for regular drops. Yes, we do that. Contractor accounts get invoiced monthly, keep dispatched drivers moving without a stop at the office, and can be set up through the customer application page. During the free promo, the invoice is $0 for clean loads, but the account is still worth setting up so you're on the system when volume rates return.

Hours That Work for a Paving Crew

Paving happens early and it happens long. Our hours match:

Monday through Friday: 7 AM to 5 PM
Saturday: 8 AM to noon
Sunday: closed

If you're finishing a Friday overnight repave and need to drop millings first thing Saturday morning, we're one of the only options open. Details on Saturday drops.

Getting Here

From Knoxville: south on Alcoa Highway (US-129), 20 minutes
From Sevierville: west on Chapman Highway or via I-40 to Alcoa Highway, 35 to 45 minutes
From Loudon or Lenoir City: east on US-321 or I-140, 25 minutes
From Oak Ridge: south on Pellissippi, 30 to 35 minutes

Address is 245 Brookdale Rd, Maryville TN 37801. Phone (865) 999-0857.

FAQ

Q: Do you take asphalt millings for free right now? A: Yes. Clean asphalt millings and pavement chunks both qualify for the free free-load period drop.

Q: What's the difference between asphalt millings and broken pavement to you? A: For recycling purposes, both are RAP. We take them both in the same drop area.

Q: What if my load is mixed asphalt and base rock from a full-depth removal? A: Call ahead. (865) 999-0857. Depending on the ratio we can usually take it or advise on separation.

Q: Do you accept sealcoat scraps or coal-tar material? A: No. Coal-tar sealcoat and similar treated materials have chemical concerns that keep them out of recycled aggregate streams.

Q: Can a paving contractor set up an account for regular drops? A: Yes. Set up through the customer application page. Get invoiced monthly, skip the office stop on each drop.

Ready to Drop Your Load?

Call (865) 999-0857 or drive to 245 Brookdale Rd, Maryville TN. Free right now during our free-load period. Mon-Fri 7 to 5, Sat 8 to noon.

Where to Dump Asphalt in East Tennessee (Paving Contractor Guide)