Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose – critical to sustainability
Every year roughly a billion waste tyres are generated globally, accounting for 2% of the total waste on the planet. Most of this waste goes into landfills or for energy recovery, contributing to elevated greenhouse gas emissions. And while transportation is not going away, more sustainable solutions to this growing waste problem need to be developed.
Crumb rubber material, the feedstock generated from tyre waste, is already used to some extent in the construction industry. However, the material is only sparingly used due to structural and compatibility issues. If we could develop a means of improving or overcoming these issues, then a more sustainable pathway for this waste material could be found with dramatic beneficial environmental impacts.
STATUS:
Proof of Concept
Better solutions through better chemistry
At SPARC, we feel that any problem can be solved through chemistry and engineering. And not only can chemistry and engineering develop solutions to these waste management issues, but it can be done in a financially viable way. That’s the approaches which we’re bringing to this problem, improving the uptake of this waste stream by upcycling the material.
Innovative Research & Development
At SPARC, we feel that long-term innovative research doesn’t have to be fundamental and academic based. We need to be able to bridge fundamental research into commercialisable product development. Project Wheels intends to do just that – present a viable solution to end-of-life tyres rather than going into landfills or burning them for energy generation. Combining with long-lasting concrete presents the possibility for significant reductions in CO2 emissions and climate change impacts.
Sustainable Technologies
Developing and implementing technologies which aid net zero emissions targets, reduce or eliminate waste and utilise green chemistry techniques is core to SPARC’s Sustainability focus area. But it is a concept and focus we carry into ALL of our focus areas, and Project Wheels embodies this premise. Sustainable technologies, if done with unique chemistry approaches, don’t have to be legislated or mandated – they can be profitable business practices as well, which is one of our goals for this project.
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