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An innovative bitumen that contains recycled rubber retrieved from end-of-life tires has been used to create around 3,000 square meters of asphalt in Italy. It is believed that this surfacing will significantly reduce the noise of passing vehicles. The General Manager of Ecopneus Federico Dossena stressed that the organization is committed to the idea of spreading the innovative road solution. He called paving with modified asphalts ´a valid strategic choice for the national and urban road network´.

Tarmac – one of the leading and pioneering firms working with the rubberized asphalt in the United Kingdom – has become the first company in the UK to secure recognized industry approval for its innovative rubber modified asphalt incorporating recycled end of life car tires for use on the strategic road network. Following a series of successful trials over a number of years, the leading sustainable construction solutions company’s ULTIPAVE R, is the first thin surfacing system of its kind to receive BBA HAPAS Clause 942 approval.

Ecopneus – Italy’s end-of-life tire management authority responsible for tire collection and recycling – reports that the use of crumb rubber modified asphalt is growing in the country. In 2020, Italy used 63% more end-of-life tires to pave its roads. Speaking about benefits of rubberized asphalt, Ecopneus says it resists potholes, lasts 3 times longer than traditional asphalt, reduces noise and maintenance costs and helps utilize valuable commodity – tire-derived crumb rubber – that otherwise would often end up in landfills.

LSM.LV – a public broadcasting of Latvia – reported on March 21, 2021 that scientists at Riga Technical University (RTU) have been looking for a solution to pave Latvia's roads with rubberized asphalt made from recycled end-of-life tires. This summer, an experimental plot of a local highway could be paved with asphalt concrete containing rubber granules from recycled tires. Scientists from RTU have developed and tested several new recipes for bitumen, the glue that contains rubber powder which is further used in asphalt and concrete. Road builders typically add specific polymers to bitumen so that road surface is more resilient to cracks and pits.

Austroads – the collective of the Australian and New Zealand transport agencies, representing all levels of government – has published the results of research which proposes a specification for the use of a binder containing crumb rubber from recycled tires in the construction of asphalt pavements. Ross Guppy, Austroads Transport Infrastructure Program Manager says there has been an increased focus on using sustainable and recycled materials for road construction and maintenance. “Crumb rubber is predominantly obtained from vehicle tires. Every year Australia and New Zealand produce more than 510,000 tonnes of end‑of‑life tires.

Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) together with the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) and Victorian Department of Transport are turning used tyres into a 1.4km road in Bentleigh using various mixes of crumb rubber asphalt. This innovative project aligns with Vic Government’s Recycled First Policy and is another example of how good partnerships are helping turn a tyre waste stream into a resource.

AZuR network coordinator Christina Guth moderated a kick-off meeting of authorities, road construction companies, science and research, as well as the tire and recycling industry representatives that decided to found an official project group on the subject of rubberized asphalt. The Alliance Future Tires (AZuR) network wants open up funding opportunities and commission studies in order to install significantly more rubber asphalt in the future. In this meeting, the project group discussed the current status, obstacles, objectives and how to proceed, explore the potential of rubber-modified asphalt and shape the future of an infrastructure.

The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA), in partnership with the University of Missouri and The Ray, a nonprofit proving ground for sustainable transportation technologies, published this July a state of knowledge report that assessed existing research on the economic, performance and environmental benefits of using ground tire rubber (GTR) in asphalt. The report finds that rubber modified asphalt is a resilient pavement solution to rebuild America’s roadways and a promising sustainable and circular end-of-life market for scrap tires. The report also provides recommendations for additional research to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the technology’s impact.

Roads & Infrastructure Australia – an online magazine devoted to pavement systems and construction in the country – recently highlighted that Australia’s waste problem has been improving with recycled road construction – rubberized asphalt from recycled tires in particular. In an article from November 4, the magazine writes: “Recycled road base uses a range of different materials to create an alternative asphalt mix. These materials can include: crushed concrete, recycled asphalt, plastic bags, recycled plastics, printer waste toner and cartridges, glass, and crumb rubber (recycled end-of-life tires).