Crumb-rubber binder trial success for Puma
Puma Energy announce successful OLEXOCRUMB trial with Transport for Victoria in Australia
PUMA Energy’s bitumen business has this week announced its first successful demonstration of its new crumb-rubber binder on a public road.
A trial organized by Transport for Victoria saw the introduction of OLEXOCRUMB – the most recent product innovation from Puma Energy’s Global Bitumen Technology Centre in Altona, Victoria, Australia.
The new asphalt binder was trialled in close collaboration with Boral Asphalt, as part of the Boral/Puma technology programme.
OLEXOCRUMB has been specifically formulated to comply with existing Australian polymer-modified binder (PMB) specifications. As a hybrid binder, it combines both tyre-derived rubber with styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) and performs as strongly as conventional PMB.
By meeting trusted existing specifications, Puma say authorities and end-users will have the confidence to use purposely designed crumb rubber in high-traffic applications, which will help grow the use of recycled rubber and reduce the environmental impact of end-of-life tyres.
Dr Erik Denneman, Puma Bitumen’s technical manager for the Middle East and Asia Pacific, commented: ‘We are committed to solving industry and governmental challenges and finding beneficial uses for waste tyres. Our asphalt binder solution incorporates 10% recycled tyre rubber, and for every tonne of OLEXOCRUMB binder produced, the equivalent of 15 passenger tyres will be recycled.’
He added: ‘This trial is part of the effort to drastically reduce the volume of tyres accumulating in landfill sites across Australia.’
The production method for OLEXOCRUMB is said to result in negligible crumb-rubber residue, meaning it can be used in the same way as conventional bituminous binders. ‘This can only be achieved because we have the support of industry-leading, advanced manufacturing equipment, which is unique to Puma Energy,’ continued Mr Denneman.
The crumb-rubber binder also includes warm-mix additive, allowing asphalt to be produced at lower temperatures, thereby reducing emissions and fumes on site.
Following the success of this initial demonstration, Puma Bitumen will be offering the binder in Victoria and Queensland initially, and later this year in New South Wales.
