More funds will become available to tire-derived product projects in Australia to expand the end market for recycled rubber in the country. Tire Stewardship Australia (TSA) decided to support recycled rubber applications designed for households, construction and general consumer goods.

All projects need to meet special criteria for funding, with minimum and maximum funding levels of $50,000 and $300,000 respectively. Nevertheless, TSA will consider granting money also to projects that do not meet these requirements on a dollar for dollar basis when the plan can achieve better results.

Grant applications will be evaluated depending on amount of scrap tires used in production. It is necessary for the projects to have ties with the industry, study centers and end users including authorities and businesses.

As an example, TSA refers to rubber-modified asphalt testing made by the local road authorities and later published by Australian Asphalt Pavement Association. Also, TSA referred to a project launched by the University of Melbourne aiming to develop an optimum blend of permeable paving that uses recycled tires to create footpaths, bike roads and low-volume traffic roads which also can provide water to nearby trees.

Currently, TSA has provided over $3 million to help the researches and companies that work on tire-derived products and their new applications.

Article by Roads Online.