Delivering Sustainable Asphalt Solutions with Improved Performance by Using Tyre Derived Fuel Oil and Recovered Carbon Black

Abstract

As all manner of vehicle tyres reach their end of life they often find their way into landfill sites or are subject to illegal dumping. These practices are neither friendly to the environment or sustainable. With the newly imposed export ban placed on rubber tyres we must find innovative ways to reuse or repurpose this valuable waste stream. Through collaboration between Pearl Global and Auskek Asphalt Production we have found a symbiotic way to both recycle and reuse end of life local rubber tyres in a world first innovation that greatly reduces greenhouse gases, creates employment opportunity and reduces the import of fossil fuels. Testing carried out on our asphalt performance has shown that the addition of carbon /char produced from the recycling process enhances the performance characteristics and properties of the asphalt significantly. When the use of carbon char is coupled with the use of the tyre derived fuel oil also from Pearls disorbtion technology our asphalt plant can minimise to zero the use of diesel or other natural gas resources to fuel the aggregate drying process. Effectively this paper will present a set of combined processes that showcase a world first innovation where local Australian based companies have created a circular “cradle to grave” opportunity to repurpose 100% of all used vehicle, truck, (Light and heavy duty) to show significant environment and performance benefits.