Tyrewise, New Zealand’s national tire stewardship scheme, has announced the first tranche of funding from Puna Taurima, the Tyrewise Fund, allocating more than NZ$1.2 million across nine projects designed to expand domestic markets for materials recovered from end-of-life tires. The funded initiatives focus heavily on road construction, where tire-derived rubber could potentially absorb between 16,000 and 18,000 tonnes of waste tires annually if adopted more widely in New Zealand, while other projects explore micronized rubber for construction, permeable paving and kerb systems, and recycled rubber playground surfaces. Tyrewise says the grants are intended to grow local processing, testing and manufacturing capacity, reduce dependence on overseas end markets and create higher-value circular applications for tire-derived materials. Further approved grants are expected during the remainder of 2026, with total Puna Taurima funding scheduled to exceed NZ$2.3 million.

First funding tranche supports nine projects

The first group of successful projects was selected following a funding call launched in 2025 to identify new ways of using end-of-life tires within New Zealand. Tyrewise says the funded projects cover research and development, emerging markets and community applications.

The grants are financed through the tire stewardship fee applied to tires sold in New Zealand. Puna Taurima is intended to reinvest part of that funding into technologies and markets capable of keeping more recycled tire material within the domestic economy.

Road applications receive major share of funding

Five of the funded projects focus directly on expanding the use of recycled tire rubber in road infrastructure. Tyrewise says overseas experience indicates that rubber can improve the performance and resilience of chip seals and asphalt binders, but adoption remains limited in New Zealand.

The scheme estimates that widespread use of tire-derived materials in New Zealand roads could consume between 16,000 and 18,000 tonnes of end-of-life tire rubber each year, creating a potentially significant domestic market for recycled material.

NTRO receives funding to assess crumb rubber asphalt pathways

The National Transport Research Organisation has been awarded NZ$105,000 for a project examining pathways to crumb rubber-modified bitumen in asphalt. The work will review asphalt mix types based on whole-of-life costs and sustainability performance while also engaging industry stakeholders to identify barriers to wider implementation.

The project includes industry awareness activities intended to improve understanding of both immediately available and developing options for incorporating recycled tire rubber into road construction.

WSP receives funding for environmental and specification studies

WSP has received NZ$264,200 for research addressing environmental concerns associated with tire-derived products in roads. The principal output will be a consolidated evidence guide outlining issues that should be considered when adopting or trialing tire-derived road materials in New Zealand.

A separate NZ$93,170 WSP project will review existing road specifications to identify requirements that could restrict the adoption of tire-derived bitumen binders. The work will recommend potential specification changes and test those recommendations before they are made available to NZ Transport Agency.

Devulcanized rubber emulsion project receives NZ$268,000

WSP has also been awarded NZ$268,000 for a project targeting the use of devulcanized rubber in spray seal and chip seal applications. The project builds on previous work with NZTA and aims to optimize an emulsification process capable of producing a modified binder that meets contractor performance requirements.

If technically successful and commercially adopted, the work could create another significant road market for rubber recovered from end-of-life tires.

Solution SE to test devulcanized rubber as bitumen modifier

Solution SE Ltd has received NZ$50,000 to establish whether devulcanized rubber can serve as an alternative to conventional polymer modifiers used in asphalt. The project will seek to demonstrate compliance with existing M01-A and M10 specifications.

The program will include a demonstration project and lifecycle assessment, providing both technical and environmental information on the use of recycled tire rubber as a bitumen modifier.

Micronized tire rubber targeted at construction markets

Environmental Decontamination (NZ) Limited has been awarded NZ$211,980 for development of a mechanochemical process to convert end-of-life tires or tire crumb into consistent, specification-grade rubber powder.

The project aims to create a commercial pathway for micronized tire-derived rubber in construction applications, potentially opening higher-value markets beyond conventional crumb rubber uses.

Watersmart receives funding for permeable infrastructure

Watersmart has secured NZ$54,000 for New Zealand’s first real-world installation of its Porous Lane permeable kerb and channel system. The project will install the technology at multiple test locations and develop a case study comparing the system with conventional concrete construction.

A further NZ$120,000 grant will support a pilot using Porous Lane permeable pavement as an alternative to a traditional rain garden. The project will evaluate stormwater treatment, thermal relief and infiltration performance while examining whether the system can reduce space, cost and maintenance requirements.

Schools receive grants for recycled rubber playground surfaces

Community development funding has also been allocated to playground projects using tire-derived materials. Bulls School will receive NZ$70,000 to install recycled rubber safety surfacing in its senior playground, with the aim of improving accessibility, hygiene and maintenance compared with woodchip.

Marton School has been awarded NZ$84,930 for tire-derived playground surfacing intended to improve safety and wheelchair accessibility. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Wairarapa will receive NZ$122,071 to replace existing playground surfacing with a more accessible surface designed to better accommodate children with mobility requirements.

Tyrewise aims to reduce reliance on overseas tire markets

Puna Taurima Fund Advisor Dominic Salmon said each funded project contributes to New Zealand’s ability to process, test and manufacture tire-derived products domestically. Tyrewise sees this capability as important not only for waste management but also for employment, industrial development and supply chain resilience.

Although significant quantities of New Zealand’s end-of-life tires are still exported, the fund is intended to stimulate markets capable of consuming more of the material domestically and creating commercially sustainable recycling pathways.

More than NZ$2.3 million expected to be distributed in 2026

Tyrewise expects additional approved grants to be funded during the remainder of 2026, bringing total Puna Taurima distributions to more than NZ$2.3 million.

The wider objective is to develop stable end markets for recycled tire rubber and other tire-derived materials so that collection and processing can be supported by commercially viable domestic demand rather than relying primarily on exports or lower-value recovery routes.

Original announcement by Tyrewise.