Why Regular Quality Testing Pays Off for Recyclers

A good product isn't always enough. If you can't back up the quality of your crumb rubber with data, you can miss out on work — even when the material is sound. When buyers can't tell a proven product from an unproven one, the one with evidence behind it tends to win the job. 

Quality testing is becoming an increasingly important part of doing business as a tyre recycler. Until recently, very few Australian laboratories have had the capability and experience to run the full suite of testing that crumb rubber and rubber granules require — partly because the relevant specifications and test methods are relatively new, and partly because demand for rubber testing has historically been low.  

The result, until now, has been a market where producers could not always get the independent data that road constructors and other buyers expect — and where opportunities were sometimes lost for want of a test report rather than for want of a quality product. 

A coordinated TSA pilot 

Earlier this year, TSA funded a large-scale pilot program, involving two testing laboratories and an expert laboratory consultant, with the aim of putting reliable testing within closer reach of individual recyclers. The pilot was made available to all TSA-accredited recyclers producing crumb rubber or rubber granules, and seven TSA-accredited recyclers across eight sites took the opportunity to participate. 

The program collected, transported, tested and reported on hundreds of samples — covering both crumb rubber and rubber granules — for the properties that matter across a range of end uses. Road construction is the most developed market and has the clearest specifications, but the pilot also tested granules destined for other applications, such as synthetic turf, playground surfacing and moulded products. Specifications for these markets are less defined today, though that is likely to change — and recyclers and laboratories are now better prepared to test different sizes of rubber product for the properties they share. 

The recyclers who took part received an individual Technical Data Sheet for each site characterising the material it actually produces — independent evidence that strengthens a recycler's position with buyers. 

To make that possible, the pilot helped two laboratories — ADE CMT in Queensland and Sharp & Howells in Melbourne — build the capability and hands-on experience to test crumb rubber and granules across the full suite of relevant properties. Both run established quality systems, and the pilot gave them practical, tested experience applying these methods to tyre-derived rubber specifically, and established a tested, repeatable methodology for future batch testing. 

Why it matters 

A recycler that tests regularly is: 

Better informed — regular testing tells a recycler exactly what its material is, batch to batch, so it can manage quality, spot drift early, and make processing decisions based on data rather than assumption. 

More competitive — Technical Data Sheets, and in future Safety Data Sheets, give a recycler clear, independent documentation of what its product actually is — something it can put in front of road constructors and other buyers to turn quality into a selling point. 

Market-ready — Australia has the capacity to consume up to 150,000 tonnes of tyre-derived material in roads each year. Recyclers with credible, consistent data are best placed to capture that demand, divert material from export, and feed a stronger domestic circular economy. 

The economic benefits flow most directly to recyclers, but also reach the wider roads sector and federal, state and local governments. 

What's next 

There are three ways to act now: 

If you submitted samples, reach out about your results. Participating recyclers have received their individual data sheets, and the offer of a one-on-one discussion of those results with TSA and ADE still stands. If you have questions about what your data means for your product or your market position, get in touch. 

Get your material tested. Two laboratories — ADE CMT (Queensland) and Sharp & Howells (Melbourne) — now have the capability to test crumb rubber and granules against the properties that matter to road construction and other end markets. Recyclers can engage them directly to have their material tested and documented. 

Make testing a habit. The recyclers who benefit most are those who test consistently. Regular quality testing of your crumb rubber and granules builds the consistent, documented track record that wins and keeps customers. 

To discuss your results or arrange testing, get in touch with our team.