[NEWS]
Turning Waste into Roads:
Pearl Global and Austek Asphalt’s Innovative Collaboration
In a remarkable stride towards sustainable development, industrial technology company Pearl Global has partnered with Queensland-based Austek Asphalt Production to revolutionise the waste management landscape. The partnership aims to propel the advancement of a groundbreaking waste-to-roads strategy that envisions diverting millions of discarded tires away from landfills.
Pearl Global has recently concluded successful trials of its fuel and carbon char products in conjunction with Austek Asphalt Production. Now, the company is intensifying its efforts to explore wider commercial applications for this innovative technology. The collaboration extends to engaging with other asphalt producers to broaden the distribution network.
One of the initial practical applications of this technology is the resurfacing project for the 2.5km track at the Norwell Motorplex on the Gold Coast, owned by Bathurst 1000 winner Paul Morris.
Gary Foster, the CEO of Pearl Global, underscores the significance of their clean conversion technology, emphasizing its superiority over conventional tire recycling methods. The technology is primarily focused on processing end-of-life rubber, predominantly waste tires. Foster notes that Pearl Global’s conversion process adheres to the world’s most stringent environmental standards and is the sole process sanctioned by the respective state regulations in Australia.
Although carbon char is not an unfamiliar concept in the recycling sector, Austek Asphalt Production distinguishes the uniqueness of Pearl Global’s developed process. This process yields a substantial quantity of high-quality char, known for producing more resilient and cost-effective asphalt. Pearl Global’s carbon char, a result of thermal treatment, boasts 75% purity and is finely powdered. Austek incorporates this carbon char into its aggregate mix, culminating in the branded Zeroad asphalt products. Furthermore, Pearl Global extracts fuel from waste tires, which is subsequently utilized to operate Austek’s asphalt plant.
Astonishingly, Australia annually consumes approximately 10 million tonnes of virgin resources for asphalt production. However, with approximately 560,000 tonnes of tires discarded each year in the country, the potential impact of converting these into Zeroad production could negate the tire waste issue altogether. A single tonne of Zeroad asphalt necessitates the utilisation of 10 tires, and Austek Asphalt Production has the capacity to consume between 1.6 to 2 million discarded tires each year in a single bitumen plant.
On a global scale, it is estimated that over one billion tires are disposed of annually, prompting governments to seek sustainable solutions for tire waste management. In this context, Pearl Global’s pioneering initiative holds the promise of offering a viable remedy.
In a significant development, Pearl Global recently secured $6.5 million in funding to expand its production facility in Stapylton, located within the northern industrial precinct of the Gold Coast. While the initial focus is on the Australian market, with strategic locations in proximity to tire supplies and asphalt plants, the company is also considering opportunities in international markets.
The financial performance of Pearl Global reflects its upward trajectory, evident from a surge in customer receipts from $516,000 in the June quarter to $1.649 million in the September quarter.
Austek Asphalt Production is concurrently collaborating with regional councils to implement its Zeroad products in road projects. The successful trial at Norwell Motorplex has spurred discussions with Moreton Bay Council, City of Gold Coast Council, and Logan City Council to identify suitable sites for Carbonphalt and Carbonmastic applications using the Zeroad technology.
Paul Morris, the owner of Norwell Motorplex, envisions an exciting future for Zeroad adoption in racing circuits. He highlights not only the compelling environmental advantages but also the product’s durability and performance attributes. Morris underscores the dual requirement of speed and safety for racing surfaces, emphasizing that Austek’s product excels in meeting these criteria cost-effectively.
The collaboration between Pearl Global and Austek Asphalt Production signifies a groundbreaking leap in sustainable technology, showcasing the potential to transform waste into valuable resources and contribute to a greener future. As this innovative approach gains momentum, it stands as a testament to the power of technological innovation in addressing pressing environmental challenges.
27 November 2020
