Asphalt Institute, an institution founded in 1919, accounts for 90% of the producers of bituminous road products in the United States, and more and more producers from other countries.
It has always been characterized by being a center of excellence in the study of health, safety and the environment. For this reason it has always promoted asphalt, (asphalt bitumen) of oil as a safe and ecological building material for roads, streets and roofing systems, through its scientific research programs and technological developments.
At the IRMD20 day (International Road Maintenance Day 2020), of last April 2, Pete Grass, President of Asphalt Institute, presented the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study of asphalt binder (LCA of different bitumen). This study, completed in 2019, makes a comparison between four types of binders:
- CONVENTIONAL OR NEAT ASPHALT, (B 50/70, como eq. España)
- SBS POLYMER MODIFIED ASPHALT, 3,5 % SBS (PMB 45 80/65 as eq. en España)
- CRUMB RUBBER ENHANCED ASPHALT, 8% CRUMB RUBBER (BC 50/70 as eq. en España)
- POLYPHOSPHORIC MODIFIED ASPHALT, (not used in Spain)
Table 3-12 page 36
The study carried out has great importance, since it analyses from inside the oil sector the reality of the emissions produced by the different asphalts (binders), taking into account all phases, till exit of the bitumen production terminal. That is, without going into construction, which can always be determined by the distance of transport.
The data are conclusive, as they demonstrate a real reduction of the emission reached by a policy of using crumb rubber binders on the road.
Comparison of emissions according to asphalts of the Asphalt Institute
According to these data, the use of crumb rubber bitumen in road works would reduce the environmental footprint generated by the use of asphalt bitumen by 3% to 5%, reducing 16 kg of CO2 per ton. consumed. This is very important as crumb rubber bitumen studied has an 8% of crumb rubber over total final rubberized bitumen, which looks like to BC 50/70 or crumb rubber enhanced bitumen of Spain.
In addition, the study shows that the higher the content of crumb rubber content is, the greater is reduction of emissions, leading to rubberized binders with a crumb rubber content between 12 and 15% BMC to reductions up to 30% higher against polymer modified bitumen. As a matter of fact, in the first scenario there is a 20% reduction in emissions of enhanced crumb rubber bitumen compared to polymer modified bitumen.
According to this data, a comparison can be made of the importance of this reduction, taking it to a known sector as solar energy.
If in Spain crumb rubber enhanced bitumen would be prescribed in all its projects and crumb rubber modified bitumen (12%) instead of polymer modified binders, a reduction equivalent to that produced by a 240 Ha solar park would be generated, or what is the same as 10,000 Mw installed, producing for 10 years. For every productive year of asphalt production.
In addition, about 100,000 tn/year of used tires, 30% of total end life tires generated in Spain, would be recycled. This fact would result in a huge generation of employment associated with the recycling and bitumen sectors, thus helping the economy.
On the other hand, this would cause a change in the fuel mix of cement sector, towards the CSRs (fuels derived from urban waste), helping to reduce the waste that today ends up in landfills.
(*) Calculation data:
Estimación de la Energía Generada por un Sistema Fotovoltaico Conectado a la Red – Balance energético (Doc. University of Jaén Website)
Producción de Energías Renovables (Doc. European Union Website)
(*) Calculation data:
Estimación de la Energía Generada por un Sistema Fotovoltaico Conectado a la Red – Balance energético (Doc. University of Jaén Website)
Producción de Energías Renovables (Doc. European Union Website)
The study also highlights the rigour of the data with which ADAP and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of the additive with tire powder “RARx” by Cirtec, product have been carried out by CIRTEC and ABALEO within the framework of the European project “SILENT RUBBER PAVE”, under the program “European Union’s Horizon 2020”.
This study has made available to end users, administrations and company the ADAP of the crumb rubber powder supplied by Valoriza Medioambiente and the ADAP of the RARx product: Self Declared Environmental Product of RARx (ADAP)
In addition, a comparative study of asphalt solutions has been carried out, where it has been proven that with the use of crumb rubber powder, reductions of up to 50% are achieved through the RARx.
Asphalt with crumb rubber powder is a technique used since the 1970s, and allows significant environmental footprint reductions, due to the large volume represented by global public works.
The only way to stop climate change is by acting in all fields of society, otherwise the necessary objectives will never be achieved.
Links of interest:
Asphalt Institute’s LCA Study on Asphalt Binders (full study)
RARx, additive with tire powder by CIRTEC
