Boral has introduced a new asphalt product incorporating recycled off-the-road (OTR) tyres, providing a potential end-use market for one of the bulk handling sector’s more challenging waste streams.
The development targets large-format tyres used in mining and quarrying operations, which have traditionally been difficult to process due to their size and material composition. By converting these tyres into crumb rubber for asphalt applications, the company is positioning road construction as a viable downstream solution for OTR waste.
Boral executive general manager asphalt Richard Pearson said the development reflects broader industry efforts to improve material circularity.
“We are pleased to be leaders in construction material innovation and bring to market our high-binder crumb 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.”
According to Boral, the high-binder asphalt mix offers improved cracking resistance and could extend pavement life by up to twice that of conventional road treatments. The performance gains are attributed to the anti-oxidation properties of crumbed rubber, which help mitigate UV-related degradation, a primary cause of road surface failure.
The product has been trialled across multiple sites on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, where approximately 7,000 square metres of local roads were paved using 10,000 kilograms of OTR-derived rubber. This equated to the reuse of around 25 large earthmover tyres.
Boral developed the asphalt following collaboration with the Australian Flexible Pavement Association and Tyre Stewardship Australia, with the aim of identifying viable pathways for recycling OTR tyres into road materials.
Approximately two-thirds of each OTR tyre can be recovered for use in the asphalt mix, equating to roughly 400 kilograms of material per tyre.
Beyond durability improvements, Boral said the product could reduce lifecycle maintenance requirements, including crack sealing and patching, while also diverting large volumes of waste from landfill.
“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,” Pearson said.
“Our operations will also benefit from reduced emissions from asphalt manufacturing and the reuse of end-of-life OTR and truck tyres from Boral sites. 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.”
