The renowned British magazine Tyre & Rubber Recycling, along with its Editor-in-Chief Ewan Scott and publisher David Wilson, hosts a podcast covering key topics and the latest updates in the tire recycling and pyrolysis industries. Through the Tyre Recycling Podcast, Ewan Scott and David Wilson interview key players from the tire recycling and pyrolysis industries around the world. Be sure to subscribe to Tyre & Rubber Recycling magazine to receive updates about their interviews.

In Episode 81, Dr. Barry Takkalou, CEO and Founder of Crumb Rubber Manufacturers (CRM), speaks with Richard Wilson during The Round Trip: Tyre & Conveyor Belt Recycling Summit. With four decades of civil engineering experience, he outlines how CRM has worked to translate scientific research on rubberised asphalt into commercially viable applications for North American road networks.

Takkalou discusses the challenges and lessons learned from contractor uptake in California, where initial hesitation gave way to wider acceptance as the material’s durability and cost advantages became evident. He also highlights emerging applications for crumb rubber and emphasises the importance of policy support and industry “champions” to advance rubber-modified asphalt and other sustainable technologies.

Episode 81 offers insight into the technical, commercial and policy factors shaping the future of rubberised asphalt.

Barry Takkalou from Crumb Rubber Manufacturers (CRM) on The Tyre Recycling Podcast. | Video by Tyre & Rubber Recycling magazine.

Interview chapters:

  • 00:00 – Introduction to episode #81: Barry Takkalou
  • 01:54 – Barry’s objectives for the Round Trip Summit
  • 04:38 – CRM’s largest markets: rubberised asphalt and sports infill
  • 05:58 – The responsibility of being North America’s largest crumb rubber producer
  • 08:19 – How CRM bridged the gap between research and commercialisation
  • 10:39 – How many tyres CRM diverts from landfill annually
  • 12:58 – Rubberised asphalt as a “win-win” for roads and the environment
  • 14:26 – How CRM convinced contractors to use a product that lasts longer
  • 17:18 – Is education the key to contractor uptake?
  • 19:31 – How to develop the rubberised asphalt market in Europe and Australia
  • 22:00 – Emerging applications for crumb rubber beyond asphalt and moulded products
  • 23:27 – CRM’s future objectives and global technology transfer
  • 25:52 – Final message: the need for policymakers and “champions” to create change
  • 34:10 – Conclusion to episode #81

To watch other episodes of Tyre Recycling Podcast, make sure to subscribe for Tyre and Rubber Recycling magazine!