The International Recycled Rubber Products Initiative (IRRPI) at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas (UNLV) recently hosted academics and industry leaders for the 1st International Conference on Recycled Rubber Products (R2P) on October 10 and 11, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The conference, supported by leading academics, businesses, exhibitors and sponsors involved in the waste tire recycling and rubber products industries, addressed a wide variety of technology advancements, economic strategies and opportunities in the field of rubber recycling.
Topics discussed included:
- Rubber modified asphalt binders and mixtures: National and international experiences
- QC/QA issues in producing ground rubber
- International issues involved with ground rubber
- Engineering properties of recycled rubber
- Equipment issues in the industry
- “Green” Industry: Sustainability issues
- How to produce marketable products from recycled rubber materials
- Health issues with recycled rubber materials
The conference was attended by 122 people representing 18 countries and featured 15 industry exhibitors, including:
- ECO Green Equipment USA, a leading global manufacturer of turnkey tire recycling equipment for the scrap tire industry
- Paramount Asphalt, a subsidiary of Alon USA and the largest supplier of asphalt products, including tire rubber modified binder and emulsions, on the west coast
- MWV Specialty Chemicals, a company focused on the development and delivery of high performance chemical products and technologies for the global asphalt paving industry
- Vector-N LLC, which is engaged in innovative technological projects that recycle rubber and other waste products to obtain electricity and other materials for further use
- Columbus McKinnon, the first company to develop turnkey systems specifically designed for the reduction of scrap tires with the intent of creating tire derived materials
- Liberty Tire Recycling, the largest processor of scrap tires in North America and the first company to achieve the GREENGUARD Synthetic Turf Certification to improve public health and quality of life through programs that reduce chemical exposure and improve indoor air quality
Plans are underway for the second R2P conference to be held in Las Vegas in September 2014.