Old Rubber Hits the Road in QLD

Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) has teamed with Logan City Council to to trial a new eco-friendly road surface. The surface is a combination of old tyres and reclaimed asphalt.

TSA has committed $150,000 to the trial and additional laboratory testing, which aims to prove that the new surface will be as good as, or better than, standard road sealing.

Logan City Council Director of Road Water Infrastructure Daryl Ross said Council is always looking at innovative ways to deliver better roads. “Council wants to build a road network that is suitable for our growing region,” he said. “This partnership with Tyre Stewardship Australia aims to enhance road quality for users in a cost-effective way.”

Tyre Stewardship Australia CEO Lina Goodman said the trial is about creating a recycled road product that saves money while delivering a safe and reliable product. “It also has a huge environmental benefit to the community because it is using recycled tyres,” Ms Goodman said.

The trial will begin in May and initial results are expected by August.  Queensland firm Fulton Hogan will construct the road.

‘Crumb rubber’ is produced by reducing scrap tyres down to its basic materials and removing steel and fibre along with any other contaminants such as dust, glass or rock.
Reclaimed asphalt consists of old, damaged pavement materials milled and crushed into a new mixture.

According to TSA’s latest data report, Australia generated the equivalent of 56 million used car tyres last financial year. Sixty-nine percent of them were recovered for reuse or processed into tyre derived products. The rest ended up in landfill or were stockpiled.

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