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TSA News > On the road to a circular economy – research project to test best mix for recycled tyres
On the road to a circular economy – research project to test best mix for recycled tyres
4 November 2020
Tyre Stewardship Australia and RMIT University are partnering on a ground-breaking research project evaluating the performance of crumb rubber in asphalt made from old car tyres.
The project, co-funded by TSA, RMIT and the Victorian Department of Transport (DoT), will evaluate to what extent and in what proportion – when mixed with truck tyres, for instance – passenger car tyres can be recycled in road asphalt pavements.
Dr Filippo Giustozzi from RMIT University, the leading academic institution in Australia for asphalt and bitumen R&D, said the research project would “look to address barriers to the increased consumption of recycled Australian passenger tyres in the growing road sector for crumb rubber.”
“Currently, most crumb rubber asphalt and sealing use recycled tyres from trucks almost exclusively. That’s because truck tyres have a higher content of natural rubber, thus better chemical compatibility with bitumen.
“Most recycling infrastructure in Australia is currently set up to process truck tyres into crumb and granule because the market for passenger tyres is so small.
“Through this research project, we want to objectively ascertain whether there are any performance differences between passenger and truck tyres in asphalt road applications.
“We will use passenger car tyres – or a combination of truck and passenger tyres – to produce crumb rubber mixes with 5 to 20% rubber.”
“Australia generates the equivalent of 56 million used car tyres every year. Around 30% of those end up in landfill or are stockpiled. 85% of end-of-life passenger tyres are recovered and exported,” Tyre Stewardship CEO Linda Goodman said.
“This evidence-based research will allow the road industry to respond to the increasing push of the Australian Government for recycling more while ‘exporting’ less.
“Through partnerships like this research project with RMIT and DoT, Tyre Stewardship Australia is constantly looking to find innovative and sustainable ways to push towards a circular economy that can eliminate waste and support the continual use of resources, including the best recycled blends for better roads and a better environment.”
The research project is believed to be the first of its kind testing crumb rubber from passenger car tyres in bitumen and asphalt in Australia. The study, which begins this week, will run bitumen lab testing until July 2021, with asphalt testing completed a year later.
Background on TSA
Tyre Stewardship Australia was formed five years ago to implement the national Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme which promotes the development of viable markets for end-of-life tyres.
TSA is made up of representative across the tyre supply chain including retailers, manufacturers, recyclers and collectors.
For a list of current and completed projects that TSA have funded please click here
For further information on TSA’s Market Development activities please click on the Innovation tab on this website or contact us at getonboard@tyrestewardship.org.au