Boral has introduced what it claims as Australia’s first crumbed rubber asphalt bitumen derived from Off the Road (OTR) tyres, typically used in heavy-duty industrial vehicles.
The proprietary asphalt mix offers enhanced cracking resistance and can extend pavement life by up to twice that of conventional road treatments, the company said in a media release.
OTR tyres, designed for rigorous conditions in industries such as construction, mining, and manufacturing, range in size from small forklift tyres to massive mining dump truck tyres.
Boral’s new high-binder crumbed rubber asphalt surfacing repurposes end-of-life OTR tyres from its own sites, including those used by front-end loaders and quarry haul dump trucks.
The mix leverages the anti-oxidation properties of crumbed rubber to counteract UV-induced pavement deterioration, a primary cause of road failure.
Approximately two-thirds of an OTR tyre is recovered for the asphalt blend, amounting to around 400 kilograms per tyre.
The launch follows Boral’s involvement in an Australian Flexible Pavement Association (AfPA)-funded project in collaboration with Tyre Stewardship Australia, aimed at optimizing OTR-derived asphalt for greater sustainability and resilience.
The company subsequently partnered with Sunshine Coast Council to test the material in real-world conditions across three road sites: Railway Parade in Glass House Mountains, Spalls Road in Diddillibah, and Perlan Street in Nambour.
In the demonstration, Boral laid 7,000 square meters of local roads, incorporating 10,000 kilograms of OTR-derived crumbed rubber sourced from its West Burleigh Quarry.
The equivalent of 25 large earthmover tyres was used, marking the first known application of OTR tyres in an asphalt mix in Australia.
Richard Pearson, Executive General Manager Asphalt at Boral, highlighted the company’s commitment to sustainability and circular economy initiatives.
“We are pleased to be leaders in construction material innovation and bring to market our high-binder crumbed rubber asphalt surfacing derived from Off the Road tyres,” Pearson said.
“Finding ways to be more sustainable and drive a more circular economy is central to what we do at Boral.”
The OTR-derived asphalt offers improved road performance and longevity, reducing the need for maintenance such as crack sealing and patching, which in turn lowers costs and minimizes community disruptions.
The product also supports broader sustainability goals, including lower emissions from asphalt production and reduced landfill waste.
Pearson emphasised the benefits of collaboration with industry partners and government bodies. “Our successful engagement with Sunshine Coast Council, AfPA, and Tyre Stewardship Australia led to the creation of this new product that will provide increased circularity benefits to the community—diverting tyres away from landfill and into new recycled products,” he said.
“We look forward to seeing the building and construction industry continue to innovate. We welcome more councils and all levels of government to embed recycled materials into their projects, including the use of crumbed rubber asphalt roads.”
