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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).

Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) reports that more than 1240 end-of-life truck tires have been diverted from landfill, turned into crumb rubber, and used to repair roads across six Tasmanian municipalities in a partnership between Fulton Hogan and Tyre Stewardship Australia. TSA says it is the first-time bitumen modified with end-of-life tire material – which included the equivalent of 40,000 beer bottles of recycled glass, as well as the end-of-life truck tires – has been used in Tasmania. The ground-breaking project paves the way for an expansion of crumb rubber products on roads across the island.

On September 22, the Switzerland-based Tyre Recycling Solutions S.A. (TRS ) and RENECAL (Reciclado de Neumáticos de Castilla y León S.L.) held an official ceremony celebrating the signature of their partnership and collaboration Agreement. Renecal’s management was represented by Juan Blanco (co-owner), Luis Angel Fernández (plant manager) and Aitor del Cerro (commercial manager). The ceremony took place at TRS Engineering and Production center in Yvonand, Switzerland. According to the Agreement, RENECAL will produce and distribute under license from its factory based at Guardo (Palencia), and with end-of-life tires generated in Spain, the Engineered Crumb Rubber (ECR) TyreXol™ MMA specifically designed for use into asphalt mixtures.

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.

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´.

Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) recently announced it would fund innovative ideas that utilize end-of-life tires. According to the organization’s recent press release, TSA has dedicated a special budget for funding such projects. The organization also says TSA’s Market Development Fund is now open for applications. The scope is broad; from research grants to funding prototypes, projects and initiatives, the goal is to transform passenger and truck tires into new and innovative markets.

Southampton City Council, and highways partner Balfour Beatty Living Places, are pioneering the use of Rubber Modified Asphalt to reduce the environmental impact of highways maintenance activities. Southampton City Council recently approved an additional £10m investment to resurface residential roads and pavements across the city – boosting investment to a record £22 million over the next two years. As part of this program the council and its highways partner, Balfour Beatty Living Places, is pioneering a new method for resurfacing which puts waste rubber that would have otherwise ended up in landfill to good use.

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.

MOL and Tatneft, one of the largest oil and gas companies in Russia, have solemnly launched a joint project for a rubber bitumen plant in the Republic of Tatarstan. According to MOL, the project partly involves end-of-life recycling. The companies have also agreed to establish a joint venture that, besides manufacturing and selling rubber bitumen, will also be authorized to market MOL's technology license in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The investment is partly financed by the HEPA Hungarian Export Promotion Agency tender funding.