Old tyres make new roads
In 2006, the EU ruled, perfectly sensibly, that old tyres could not be dumped in landfill. But what was to be done with them? Burning them resulted in massive CO2 emissions, and shredding them merely changed their shape. By 2009, the UK had piled up nearly 480,000 tonnes of used tyres. The need to find some way to recycle them became urgent. Attempts were made to incorporate rubber into asphalt, which usually involved trying to melt the rubber completely before mixing it with stone and bitumen. This didn’t work very well – but now Breedon Aggregates, working for Transport Scotland, has succeeded in making a new asphalt that incorporates rubber from recycled waste tyres. It uses new technology developed by a Danish called Genan, based on incorporating rubber particles directly into the binding agent. This can be done at relatively low temperatures, which reduces particle emissions, with significant environmental benefits.
At the end of May this year, a short stretch of the A90 dual carriageway between Perth and Dundee was resurfaced with the revolutionary material. This stretch of road is one of the busiest in Scotland, carrying around 35,000 vehicles a day, so it is an excellent test. Preliminary trials had shown the new material to pass a ‘grip test’ and the early indications are very encouraging. Over the next few months the material will be closely monitored against a number of performance criteria, including skid resistance.
Alan Mackenzie, chief executive of Breedon Aggregates Scotland, is of course delighted. ‘This could transform our approach to road surfacing in the UK,’ he said. ‘Our industry has been trying for years to successfully incorporate recycled rubber into asphalt, without much success. Thanks to this new technology, which we are partnering with Genan to promote in the UK, we can help change that.’
Old tyres to new asphalt looks like an all-round winner. It’s more economical that any previous product, and environmentally friendly as well.
Three cheers for Breedon.
