𝐷𝑖𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 3,000,000 𝑡𝑦𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦; 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 1,500,000 𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑝 𝑡𝑦𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑?
With limited tyre disposal or recycling options available, a sizeable number of tyres are improperly disposed of, mainly dumped at the side of the road or in water courses, causing adverse environmental and health impacts as well as poses major economic and sustainability challenges to the Solid Waste Management Company.
This Rubber Crumb Project is the continuation of a project which commenced in 2018, aimed at undertaking a pre-feasibility assessment for the establishment of both rubber crumb and rubber asphalt manufacturing facilities utilizing locally available raw materials, viz. asphalt and rubber crumb derived from end-of-life/waste tyres.
The project originates from the renewal of a MOU between CARIRI and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of South Africa. CARIRI has been actively exploring opportunities for the development and implementation of projects locally utilizing South African technology and expertise. One such project which was identified by CARIRI as having potential for local exploitation is rubberized asphalt, also referred to as asphalt rubber and rubber asphalt.
Mr. Hans-Erich Schulz (left), Chief Executive Officer CARIRI and Professor Prakash Persad, President, UTT signing the agreement.
The project objectives are as follows:
To operationalize the rubber crumb plant and continue the investigative/developmental work pertinent to the manufacture of rubber crumb and downstream rubber crumb-based products which would encompass the following: comparison of performance characteristics of locally produced crumb vis a vis imported crumb; refinement of asphalt mixes where necessary; paving of test strips and performance monitoring of these strips;
To undertake market research to identify local and export market potential for rubber crumb and downstream rubber crumb-based products, inclusive of associated production technologies in respect of the latter.
To develop prototypes for two downstream rubber crumb-based products with high export market potential.
To prepare a business case, for promotional purposes, for local production of rubber crumb and associated downstream products.
𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭:
Benefits which could potentially accrue to the national economy from the implementation of this project include:
Mitigation of the adverse environmental and health impacts occasioned by the indiscriminate disposal of waste tyres; thereby contributing to environmental preservation and decreased risk of vermin and vector borne diseases.
Adoption of recycling as an option for end-of-life management of waste tyres.
Improved durability of roads paved with rubber asphalt, viz. increased resistance to cracking, reduced temperature susceptibility, improved oxidation and aging resistance, as well as improved resistance to permanent deformation; whereby less maintenance would be required, resulting in cost savings.
Expansion of the local production/industrial base via the exploitation of value added manufacturing activity.
New business creation, employment and income generation, and foreign exchange earnings via export of rubber crumb and downstream products.
Contribution to economic diversification and sustainable development.
This project forms an integral part of the Institute’s efforts to foster Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) activity which is central to the creation of a diversified economic base encompassing technology/knowledge transfer, business expansion, new business creation, employment and income generation, and foreign exchange earnings.
Published 23rd September 2022