AKRON (Aug. 7, 2013) — Liberty Tire Recycling L.L.C. and Bridgestone Americas will highlight the innovative benefits of rubberized asphalt on Aug. 22 with an event called "Recycle Akron: 2013."
The event will be held at Bridgestone's Akron facility at 10 East Firestone Boulevard and, according to Liberty Tire, will gather transportation and environmental professionals, civic leaders and policymakers to learn more about scrap tire management in Ohio and rubberized asphalt materials and applications.
Speakers will include experts from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Bridgestone Americas, Flexible Pavements of Ohio, Seneca Petroleum and Liberty Tire Recycling.
"States that locally source recycled tire rubber for asphalt projects experience a win-win in terms of waste disposal and longer-lasting, less expensive roadways," said Jeffrey Kendall, Liberty Tire Recycling's CEO. "Rubberized asphalt has come a long way to provide not only a sustainable outlet for scrap tires but to contribute to improved highway infrastructure."
Mr. Kendall added that Liberty Tire Recycling encourages "state and municipal engineers and road maintenance supervisors to take rubberized asphalt specifications from this event and put them into practice in Ohio to save money without sacrificing performance."
The Recycle Akron sessions will consist of presentations on topics including:
• "Tire Processing in Ohio";
• "Ohio Asphalt Industry Overview on Use of Modified Binders"
• "PG Binders for Use in Ohio";
• "Tennessee Experience with Rubber and Modified Asphalt"; and
• "Rubberized Asphalt Materials and Applications," which will provide an overview of the advantages of rubberized asphalt, from enhanced safety and reduced tire noise to better crack resistance and cost savings.
Tim Bent, environmental director for Bridgestone Americas, said the tire maker "works to ensure that for every new tire we sell in the U.S., another tire that has been removed from use is sent to a valuable purpose.
"Rubberized asphalt has enormous potential for utilizing a large number of the tires discarded each year for an incredibly important product—lower-cost, safer, sustainable roads."
Rubberized asphalt is a low-cost, high-performance alternative to traditional paving mixes that reduces dependency on oil and limits carbon dioxide emissions, according to Liberty Tire Recycling. Added to traditional asphalt, crumb rubber comprises 8 to 22 percent of the binder and increases tensile strength. Rubberized asphalt has, for more than 40 years, proven to diminish maintenance costs and provide a smoother, safer ride, the company added.
Recycle Akron is an invitation-only event. For more information contact Elizabeth Bacheson at 412-642-7700 or via email at [email protected].