Australian Local Government Authorities are the focus of a knowledge building program delivered, in cooperation, by Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) and the Australian Asphalt Paving Association (AAPA).
In the drive to create a circular economy for tyres, the recent work of the two organisations, supported by Transport and Main Roads Queensland, Main Roads Western Australia, Sustainability Victoria and the Australian Road Research Board, has succeeded in creating new national specifications for Crumbed Rubber Modified (CRM) asphalt.
This allows local authorities to increase the use of such material in road building, providing the dual benefits of better roads and local use of recycled tyre material.
Supporting the national specifications, TSA and AAPA will be delivering a series of Tech-Talks to local authority roads bodies, roads engineers and contractors.
The Tech-Talks, with an initial focus on rural and regional authorities, begin on 13 September in Toowoomba before moving to Wagga Wagga on 31 October and then Parks on 1 November, with more planned for across Australia.
Testing of the new national specifications for Crumbed Rubber Modified (CRM) asphalt is already underway, with trials on Queensland’s Gold Coast plus both laboratory and field testing by the South Australian City of Mitcham to measure performance benefits in highly expansive soils with the assistance of the Tyre Stewardship Research Fund.
In the drive to increase local markets for tyre-derived products TSA is also about to expand its Fund to include the support of infrastructure and demonstration projects that apply new techniques to the beneficial use of recycled material.
TSA will soon after be calling for applications in a new round of funding.
The outcome of all the recent activity is a steady move towards more beneficial domestic uses of recycled end-of-life tyres.
It is a result that is beginning to deliver high quality new products, environmental benefits and new business and job opportunities.
*Copy supplied by TyreStewardship
