Part 1:
At the beginning of the module, I have set three goals which are to present confidently, improve my flow of writing and refine my grammar. Even though I am still shy when presenting to a broad audience, I have found a good balance of gestures and improved the flow of my presentation, and these have enabled me to be well prepared and stand confidently at the front. As for my written skills, I have taken note of common mistakes made due to habit and have improved the flow of my writing. Also, I have learnt different uses of tenses such as historical present and others and have input it in my writing to improve its structure. With the newly gained knowledge and valuable feedbacks received, I will be able to enhance and apply what I learnt in this module in future communications.

Part 2:
The primary challenge faced in writing the technical report was time management. Due to the time frame of the work being near other tests and overlapping schedules of every member, it was difficult to schedule a meeting time. Hence, the workload was distributed among the members. Being part of a well-bonded group has enabled the reporting process to be smooth sailing through a difficult time. With every member inputting their share, the report was quickly assembled efficiently. As for the presentation, I stumbled across an unexpected technical error which has left me flustered and momentarily forgetting a piece of information. However, I was able to pace myself afterwards and phrase my sentences logically and successively passed the presentation to the next speaker. Overall, there is still room for improvement in terms of my presentation skills.

Part 3:
My team and I were fortunate to have been selected to present in the showcase. With the given opportunity, I was able to work on the feedback received during the class presentation. Through the two presentations, I was able to understand my strength and weakness in performance. I have identified that I have the ability and knowledge to deliver a presentation efficiently. However, I should have more self-confidence when standing in front of a broad audience. Overall, I am genuinely grateful for having the opportunity to expose myself to a broad audience. Also, being at the showcase has helped me understand and learn from various groups’ presentation which was an eye-opening experience.

Executive Summary

This proposal is written in response to the request for developing solutions for a sustainable engineering problem. In this proposal, the team has identified that Singapore has been increasingly generating waste rubber tires which amount to about 30000 tonnes yearly. Currently, 92% of the total waste tires generated are recycled through innovative methods and importation to neighbouring countries for incineration, and the remaining 8% are being discarded onto Semakau Landfill. This shows that the current waste rubber tires management is partly recycling and partly through undesirable methods such as burning and disposing of the used tires which encompass environmental and aesthetic aspects. As a result, these methods will cause land and air pollution in Singapore and its neighbouring countries.

In the interest of achieving 100% recycling rate of waste rubber tires, the team proposes the implementation of YARJ Green Asphalt, which incorporates crumb rubber into bituminous pavements. With YARJ Green Asphalt, it will allow a continuous recycling cycle and a reduction in harmful gas emission. When designed appropriately, it has the potential to reduce noise pollution, better drainage and an increment of the roads’ lifespan which means lesser road maintenance. Hence, YARJ Green Asphalt supports economic development without compromising environmental pollution and provides quality infrastructure. Challenges of YARJ Green Asphalt include higher placement and compaction temperature, storage of crumb rubber modified bitumen and hazardous emissions by rubberized asphalt mixture. All these challenges can be resolved through a different use of machinery and have been proven through case studies. Both primary and secondary research, including survey questionnaires and existing research papers, were used and included to support the team’s proposal.

In view of Singapore’s movement under the Zero Waste Masterplan, this proposal aims to resolve the waste rubber tires situation and improve its waste management system, and thus executing Singapore’s mission to be a zero-waste nation. 

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background Information

Rapid population growth, along with increasing productivity and consumption has aggravated waste production and accumulation. This will lead to waste pollution which is an ongoing environmental concern around the globe, affecting countries and mother earth.

In 2017, Singapore produced 7.7 million tonnes of waste (NEA, 2019). Generally, the waste is incinerated at waste to energy incineration plants and ash and other non-incinerable waste are dumped at Singapore’s only landfill. This process of burning the waste would leave a big carbon footprint that contributes to global warming (Watch: where does, 2018) and at the current rate of waste growth, Semakau Landfill will be filled up by 2035 (NEA, 2019).

Due to the severity of waste pollution in Singapore, the National Environment Agency (NEA) have designated 2019 as the year “Towards Zero Waste” (NEA, 2019). Under this movement, the NEA has published the Zero Waste Masterplan to raise awareness of waste pollution in Singapore and to educate and persuade the citizens to do their part to reduce waste pollution.

In a study on waste management, it is reported that approximately 1.5 billion waste rubber tires are being discarded yearly in the world (Williams, 2013). The issue with waste rubber tires being dumped in a landfill is that it takes over 50 years to decompose naturally, also burning rubber releases dangerous and carcinogenic pollution to the atmosphere (Korzeniewski, 2009). Therefore, recycling rubber tires effectively and environmentally friendly is of utmost importance for the world.

Regarding waste rubber tires in Singapore, the increasing number of cars in Singapore has boosted tire production, and this led to immense stockpiles of waste rubber tires generated every year. As reported in 2017, Singapore had produced a massive amount of waste rubber tires, which amassed to 35,900 tonnes (NEA, 2017). Singapore is currently recycling 92% of the 35,900 tonnes which leaves the remaining 8% which is approximately 2900 tonnes of waste rubber tires that are not being recycled. Although the recycling rate of waste rubber tires is stated at 92%, the value is not accurate as a Singapore considered exportation to be as part of the recycling rate. Hence, it does not portray the real value of recycling through environmentally friendly implementations.  Over the years, the recycling rate seems to be increasing for waste rubber tires, but the values reported does not take into consideration the cumulative discarded waste rubber tires over time. Figure 1 shows the statistic of waste rubber tires in Singapore.

Figure 1. Statistics on waste rubber tire generated VS waste rubber tire recycled (NEA, 2017)

Presently, waste rubber tires in Singapore are being discarded mainly through exportation to neighbouring countries and incineration plants while the remaining are being dumped in Semakau Landfill (ZeroWaste SG, 2008). These methods of disposal help Singapore in clearing the waste rubber tires but are not feasible as a long-term solution as it creates additional environmental problems and solid waste pollution. Through exportation, neighbouring countries processed the tires through incineration which would help them attain fuel but, in the process, emanate toxic gases into the surrounding and consequently leads to health endangerment. This results in urgency for the government and relevant companies dealing with rubber tires to adopt environmentally friendly solutions to ensure that the recycling rate for waste rubber tires is kept at 100% to reduce carbon footprint and save landfill spaces.

Aligned with the Zero Waste nation idea, YARJ Green Insight’s ideal situation is to fully utilize waste rubber tire by incorporating waste rubber tires into the bituminous pavement mixtures.

1.2 Problem Statement

Singapore’s current method of recycling these waste rubber tires is not environmentally friendly. We are exporting the waste rubber tires overseas to be incinerated resulting in air pollution, and locally there is still 8% of the waste rubber tires being dumped at the landfill, which results in land pollution. The waste rubber tire situation would affect not only the country but also the earth if not dealt with appropriately.

1.3 Purpose Statement

The purpose of our proposed submission is to notify LTA about the negative environmental impacts that come along with waste rubber tires and persuade it that by incorporating crumb rubber into asphalt, Singapore can achieve 100% recycle rate of waste rubber tires in an environmentally friendly manner.

2.0 Proposed Solution

 YARJ Green Insight’s proposed solution to recycle waste rubber tires efficiently is through our designed product called YARJ Green Asphalt. YARJ Green Asphalt incorporates waste crumb rubber tires into asphalt pavements as seen in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Close up animation of crumb rubber in asphalt pavements

It was observed through secondary research that the properties of crumb rubber have the potential of improving the road quality when designed appropriately. Therefore, a series of trials and experiments are conducted to ensure that YARJ Green Asphalt performance meets the standard of conventional pavements. YARJ Green Asphalt is a strategic and environmentally friendly way of recycling waste rubber tires without compromising the integrity of the roads.

Figure 3. Overview of YARJ Green Asphalt

2.1 Plan of Action

YARJ Green Insight is committed to ensuring that YARJ Green Asphalt is suitable for Singapore’s asphalt pavements. As such, to ensure the quality of YARJ Green Asphalt is of an adequate standard, YARJ Green Insight will be performing the necessary procedures and experiments to verify the properties of YARJ Green Asphalt. Refer to Appendix A for the full experimental procedure.

YARJ Green Insight will firstly obtain crumb rubber to incorporate it into the bitumen and conduct bitumen testing to evaluate the optimum crumb rubber content. Secondly, a suitable mix design will be selected and blended with the crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB) in different proportion with the mix design to create YARJ Green Asphalt samples for testing. Combining different percentage of the CRMB and aggregates allow us to evaluate the optimum CRMB and aggregates ratio which will be the final product.

2.2 Materials and Methods

2.2.1 Obtaining crumb rubber

Crumb rubbers are generally known as the finer recyclable grains of a rubber tire. There are two methods for attaining crumb rubber, and they are ambient mechanical grinding and cryogenic grinding, refer to Appendix A for obtaining crumb rubber processes. These two methods of obtaining crumb rubbers can be integrated into one system to maximise the benefits and to reduce overall costs. Although the crumbs obtained from cryogenic grinding are smaller and smoother, it is not as cost efficient as ambient mechanical grinding. (Putman & Amirkhanian, 2006)

2.2.2 Bitumen Selection Process

Waste crumb rubber will be mixed into the bitumen used in preparing the YARJ Green Asphalt mix. As such YARJ Green Insight needs to evaluate the available types of bitumen and select the most suitable bitumen to incorporate the crumb rubber with.

Figure 4. Bitumen sample

Types of bitumen

There are several types of bitumen used such as pen 60/70, Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB), and Performance Grade 76. Each bitumen has different properties, and its properties reflect its quality. Comparing these three mixes, Pen 60/70 bitumen is a suitable option as it is of lower quality as compared to the rest. This meant that improving the quality of this bitumen would be more significant. Pen 60/70 bitumen will be used as the base, and its properties will be designed and modified using crumb rubber to achieve a quality that is comparable to PG 76. Refer to Appendix B for qualities of bitumen.

Crumb rubber modified bitumen sample testing

YARJ Green Insight needs to conduct several experiments to evaluate the properties of the crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB). Four critical experiments, viscosity test, hardness test, ductility test and elasticity recovery test would be conducted on the bitumen samples with different crumb rubber content percentage.

By carrying out the experiments, YARJ Green Insight would be able to obtain the experimental data to evaluate the optimum binder content which is the percentage of crumb rubber to be added. Refer to Appendix B for experiment process information.

2.2.3 Aggregate selection process

About 85-95% of any paving mixtures are the aggregates, and these aggregates provide the paving mixture with its strength and durability. Therefore, it is necessary to select a suitable mix design that will compliment well with the crumb rubber modified bitumen. (Refer to figure 5).

Comparison of road mix

Figure 5. Comparison of road mix

As the information in figure 5 illustrates (Land Transport Authority, 2010). OGW mix design would be a better selection as it has a broader application and many benefits. OGW mix has high air voids which provides space for the crumb rubber to integrate into the mix which improves bonding between aggregates.

With the OGW mix design is selected, sieve analysis would be conducted to obtain the correct percentage of different size aggregates to produce YARJ Green Asphalt.

2.2.4 YARJ Green Asphalt Production & Testing

Mixing process

Upon achieving the optimum crumb rubber bitumen content and the correct aggregate percentage, this will be mix together. There are specifically two mixing processes; they are the dry mixing and wet mixing process. YARJ Green Insight believes that for small batching testing, the dry process would be more desirable as it is cost effective and uses consumes lesser energy which fits well with a trial and error procedure. The dry process will enhance and speed up the process of determining the suitability and the right amount of compound mixture needed. Refer to Appendix C for experiment process information.

Figure 6. Dry Mix Process

Upon full adoption, YARJ Green Insight believes that wet process will be a better choice as it uses more crumb rubber and has a lesser reaction time between aggregates, crumb rubber and bitumen. In addition, the wet process will produce a finer quality sample. Implementation of the wet process will take much more energy and cost but will produce a higher quality of asphalt pavement. Refer to Appendix C for experiment process information.

Figure 7. Wet Mix Process

YARJ Green Asphalt Testing

To test the properties of YARJ Green Asphalt, 4 technical tests will be conducted on samples with different proportion of aggregates and CRMB. The 4 tests are the Cantabro test, indirect tensile test, resilient modulus test and the dynamic creep test. The results of these tests will provide specific information on the exact proportion of aggregates and CRMB to be used. The results will in evidently result in the optimum balance between waste rubber and the quality of the road. Refer to Appendix D for experimental process information.

3.0 Benefits of Proposed Solution (YARJ Green Asphalt)

The benefits of YARJ Green Asphalt are explained in detail in the paragraphs below.

3.1 Environmental benefits of YARJ Green Asphalt implementation

3.1.1 Continuous recycling of waste rubber tires

YARJ Green Asphalt is designed to be an ongoing method to fully utilise waste rubber tires. With Singapore’s massive road infrastructure and a constant need for maintaining roads, a massive amount of crumb rubber will be needed to accomplish this project. This method of sustainability will turn scrap rubber tires into a much valued resource. In addition, with this method being implemented, there will be a relief of the Semakau Landfill. (Svoboda, J., 2018)

3.1.2 Reducing emission of harmful gases

With YARJ Green Asphalt in place, the need for exporting waste rubber tires internationally will be obsolete. The tires that are export for incineration would instead be brought into service of the YARJ Green Asphalt. This will diminish the emission of harmful gases to the surrounding. Not only does YARJ Green Asphalt reduce damage caused to the environment, but it also helps improve the condition of the air and health of the citizen. (Zero Waste Singapore, 2008)

3.2 Technical benefits of YARJ Green Asphalt implementation

3.2.1 Better drainage

With the crumb rubber being in amalgamated with the bitumen of the road, air voids will be created and thus increasing the porosity of the roads. With this air voids, rainwater can easily seep through the roads to ensure much drier roads for safer driving. (Certin, 2013)

3.2.2 Increment of the life span of the roads and cost-effectiveness.

The implementation of YARJ Green Asphalt will increase the lifespan of roads. With crumb rubber being integrated into the bitumen, the bonding within the structure will be strengthened and thus increasing the durability of the road. With the increase in road strength and durability that YARJ Green Asphalt entails, there will be a lesser need for regular maintenance which will reduce the overall upkeep cost. (Presti, 2013)

3.2.3 Reduction of noise pollution

YARJ Green asphalt is also designed to reduce noise pollution. As noise is a vibration, the air voids in YARJ Green Asphalt will work brilliantly to mitigate and disrupt the vibration produced. The crumb rubber content in YARJ Green Asphalt also acts as a cushion to soak up the noise. As high-rise buildings are located near the highway where there is constant traffic flow, noise mitigation will be deeply appreciated by the citizens. (Shatanawi, 2008)

4.0 Proposal Evaluation

In this portion, the feasibility and concerns of the proposed solution YARJ Green Asphalt will be evaluated and discussed.

4.1 Current implementation of Crumb Rubber Modified Asphalt (CRMA)

4.1.1 Case study (Overseas implementation)

CRMA usage has been widely implemented in many countries since its first development in Arizona, USA in the 1960s. Countries like Sweden, Germany, France and many others have adopted the implementation of adding crumb rubber into asphalt. Due to advantages such as cost reduction and better performance against conventional asphalt (Presti, 2013).

            4.1.2 Case Study (Singapore’s implementation)

Recently in Singapore, CRMA are being field tested on a portion of the West Coast Highway. The single lane of crumb rubber modified asphalt is being tested by SamWoh, where they evaluate the noise generated by the tires and the roads. Apart from the noise levels, they are also checking to see if there will be any major cracks or deformities in the road.

4.2 Concerns about YARJ Green Asphalt implementation

4.2.1 Higher placement & compaction temperature

Construction may be more challenging, as temperature requirements are more critical. Asphalt mixtures with high viscosity modified bitumen (CRMB) must be compacted at higher temperatures compared to traditional asphalt. This is because, like polymers, rubber stiffens the binders at high temperatures. Also, coarse gap-graded mixtures may be more resistant to compaction due to the stone nature of the aggregate structure. As such a higher temperature is required to construct YARJ Green Asphalt. In order to withstand the higher temperature, vibratory steel wheel rollers are used instead of rubber-tired rollers (Dennis, 2016).

4.2.2 Storage of Crumb Rubber Modified Asphalt

There is a tendency for the crumb rubber & asphalt to separate during storage & transportation which affects the homogenous properties of the asphalt. As such to prevent this from occurring maintaining heat & agitation is required until the application of the crumb rubber modified asphalt (Presti, 2013).

4.2.3 Hazardous emissions by rubberized asphalt mixture

Studies performed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Federal Highways Administration (FHWA), studied that the use of rubberised asphalt does not appear to increase health risks to paving personnel. In these studies, it concludes that the risks associated with the use of CRMA products were negligible and emission exposures in CRMA operations did not differ from those of conventional asphalt pavements. In addition it was also stated that the effect of CRMA on emissions is relatively small in comparison to the effects of other variables. Those variables include the fuelling rate of the dryer, mix temperature, asphalt throughput rate and asphalt binder content (Presti,2013).

5.0 Methodology and Procedure

5.1 Primary Research

Primary research in the form of an online survey questionnaire was conducted by interviewing the team’s targeted audience and providing details to them of the ongoing situation of waste rubber tires in Singapore before they are required to fill in the survey. A total of 50 car owners including SIT students, professors, the campus’ vendors and the general public were chosen as survey participants as they are the stakeholders that have contributed to the increasing numbers of used tires. The survey intends to find out the understanding of car owners regarding the use of their tires and highlight the current situation of waste rubber tires in Singapore which has always been an overshadowed issue by other materials due to media even though it plays an indispensable role in our modes of transportation.

The team also interviewed Mr Moe, a member of the research and development committee of Samwoh who has much experience and expertise on crumb rubber modified asphalts. His studies on rubberized material which he emphasized that waste rubber tires are flexible and durable which are properties that have the potential to improve the quality of our road infrastructure. Hence, he proposed the implementation of the design feature in SIT campus grounds to be used as a testing field and collection of data.

5.2 Secondary Research

Secondary research in the form of studying and evaluating existing research data and projects was conducted with the main source of the research based on an online research paper by the collaboration of Samwoh Corporation and Singapore Polytechnic. The research paper “Crumb Rubber Modified Bitumen in Open-Graded Wearing Course of Flexible Pavement”, (Lwin and Utomo, 2017) served as a source of credibility for the proposal with documented comprehensive information and experimental data and analysis on the performance of incorporating waste crumb rubber tires into bitumen. 

6.0 Conclusion

Singapore being a developed country, the number of cars produced yearly will only increase. With an increase in the number of vehicles, it would lead to higher production and disposal of rubber tires. Despite the efforts that Singapore has invested in reducing scrap rubber tires, these methods are either not ecological or sustainable. Tonnes of waste rubber tires are being sold internationally to be incinerated for fuel which will release harmful gases that will affect the livelihood of the people and the environment. Currently, there is still 8% of rubber tires that are yet to be recycled and ended up discarded to Semakau Landfill. If rectifications are not taken immediately, it is estimated that Semakau Landfill will be filled by the year 2035.

Apart from the immense amount of waste rubber tires generated yearly, Singapore also faced a problem whereby green spaces are suppressed to make land for road infrastructure and paved areas.  This results in flooding of road surfaces due to the increased surface runoff, the increase in surface runoff will increase the chances of flooding and will be dangerous for road users due to hydroplaning. Hence, the issue of waste rubber tires and hydroplaning means that an integrated solution is required to tackle both issues.

YARJ Green Insight developed the idea of YARJ Green Asphalt upon conducting countless in-depth research to address the issues while adhering to the requirements set by LTA. This research has included the meticulous selection of bitumen, aggregate and comparison amongst a wide spectrum of different mixes to obtain the optimal product. The idea of YARJ Green Asphalt revolves around the incorporation of crumb rubber tires into the paved areas, and the property of the affected areas is seen to have multiple upgrades in terms of structural properties such as ductility and strength without affecting the structural integrity. Besides having better structural strength, YARJ Green Asphalt also administer secondary benefits such as faster drainage of water, noise reduction and cost-effectiveness.

The establishment of YARJ Green Asphalt will not only serve as a method to fully utilise waste rubber tires; it is also a continuous process where new scrap tires will be put into good use. With the benefits that YARJ Green Asphalt entails, YARJ Green Insight believes that the implementation of YARJ Green Asphalt will be a massive breakthrough to relief the landfill and for Singapore to achieve 100% recycling rate of rubber tires.  

7.0 References

Cetin, A. (2013). Effects of crumb rubber size and concentration on performance of porous asphalt mixtures. International Journal of Polymer Science 2013 (1265). doi:10.1155/2013/789612.

Crumb rubber information. (2019) Scrap Tire News. Retrieved from https://www.scraptirenews.com/crumb.php

Dennis, L.C. (2016). Introduction to rubberized asphalt. Slide player. Retrieved from https://slideplayer.com/slide/6890606/ 

International journal of physical sciences (2019). Academic Journals. doi:0.5897/IJPS

Korzeniewski, J. (2009). Sobering Statistics: How long will it take for your car to decompose. Autoblog. Retrieved from https://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/17/sobering-statistics-how-long-will-it-take-for-your-car-to-decom/

Kumar, A. (2016). Crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB). Slideshare. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/AshwaniKumar292/crumb-rubber-modified-bitumen-crmb-61820238

Land Transport Authority (2010). Engineering group materials and workmanship specification for civil and structural works. Retrieved from https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/dam/ltaweb/corp/Industry/files/EGD09104A1-Overall.pdf

Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (2019). Managing our waste – Landfill. Retrieved from https://www.mewr.gov.sg/topic/landfill

Moe, A. L. & Utomo, H. D. (2017). Crumb rubber modified bitumen in open graded wearing course of flexible pavement. Open Journal of Civil Engineering, 07(02), 165-176. doi: 10.4236/ojce.2017.72010

Mohd, R.I., Katman, H.Y., Mohamed, R.K. & Koting S. (2013). A review on the effect of crumb rubber addition to the rheology of crumb rubber modified bitumen. Advances in Materials Science and Engineering 2013(3). doi: 10.4236/ojce.2017.72010

National Environment Agency (2019). Waste management and overall recycling. Retrieved from https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/waste-management/waste-statistics-and-overall-recycling

Presti, D.L. (2013). Recycled tyre rubber modified bitumens for road asphalt mixtures: A literature review. Constructions and building materials, 49. doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2013.09.007

Putman, B.J. & Amirkhanian, S.N. (2006). Crumb rubber modification of binders: interaction and particle effects. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228375092_Crumb_rubber_modification_of_binders_interaction_and_particle_effects

Recycling of scrap tyres for asphalt road construction. (2017). Samwoh. Retrieved from https://samwoh.com.sg/success-stories/case-studies/research-projects/533-recycling-of-scrap-tyres-for-asphalt-road-construction.html

Shatanawi, K. (2008). The effects of crumb rubber particles on highway noise reduction – A laboratory study. All Dissertations. Retrieved from https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1268&context=all_dissertations

Silvrano, A.D.N., Marcio, M.F., Jorge, C.P. & Paula, A.A.P. (2006). Influence of crumb rubber gradation on asphalt rubber properties. Retrieved from http://www.civil.uminho.pt/transportinfra/publications/2006_(AR2006)_Neto_Farias_Pais_Pereira.pdf

South Central Iowa Solid Waste Agency (2016). The problem with waste tires. Retrieved from https://sciswa.org/the-problem-with-waste-tires/

Svoboda, J., Václavík, V., Dvorský, T., Klus, L. & Zajac, R. (2018). The potential utilization of the rubber material after waste tire recycling. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 385. 012057. 10.1088/1757-899X/385/1/012057.

Tan, K. W., Ong, M. J. K., Ho, S. J. & Kan, M. (2016). Is your waste a waste? Asian Management Insight, 3(2). Retrieved from https://cmp.smu.edu.sg/ami/article/20161208/your-waste-waste

Watch: Where does all your rubbish go? (2018). The Straits Times. Retrieved from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/where-does-all-your-rubbish-go

Williams, P.T. (2013). Pyrolysis of waste tyres: A review. Waste Management, Volume 33, Issue 8 (2013), Pages 1713-1728. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2013.05.003

Zafar, S. (2019). Crumb rubber from waste tires. Clean Tech Solutions.Retrieved from https://www.cleantechloops.com/what-is-crumb-rubber/

A key point to be remembered from the forum is the emphasised that failure is the mother of success. As said by Shamir Rahim, success is the only thing that people will see, but not the failures and perseverance behind it. Also, he stated that a missed golden opportunity does not define you as a failure, but instead it can be used as a learning point when he discussed the missed partnership with Youtube.

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background Information

Rapid population growth, along with increasing productivity and consumption has aggravated waste production and accumulation. This will lead to waste pollution which is an ongoing environmental concern around the globe, affecting countries and mother earth.

In 2017, Singapore produced 7.7 million tonnes of waste (NEA, 2019). Generally, the waste is incinerated at waste to energy incineration plants and ash and other non-incinerable waste are dumped at Singapore’s only landfill. This process of burning the waste would leave a big carbon footprint that contributes to global warming (Straits Time, 2018) and at the current rate of waste growth, Semakau Landfill will be filled up by 2035 (NEA 2019).

Due to the severity of waste pollution in Singapore, the National Environment Agency (NEA) have designated 2019 as the year “Towards Zero Waste” (NEA, 2019). Under this movement, the NEA has published the Zero Waste Masterplan to raise awareness of waste pollution in Singapore and to educate and persuade the citizens to do their part to reduce waste pollution.

In a study on waste management, it is reported that approximately 1.5 billion waste rubber tires are being discarded yearly in the world (Williams, 2013). The issue with waste rubber tires being dumped in a landfill is that it takes over 50 years to decompose naturally, also burning rubber releases dangerous and carcinogenic pollution to the atmosphere (Korzeniewski, 2009). Therefore, recycling rubber tires effectively and environmentally friendly is of utmost importance for the world.

Regarding waste rubber tires in Singapore, the increasing number of cars in Singapore has boosted tire production, and this led to immense stockpiles of waste rubber tires generated every year. As reported in 2017, Singapore had produced a massive amount of waste rubber tires, which amassed to 35,900 tonnes (NEA, 2017). Singapore is currently recycling 92% of the 35,900 tonnes which leaves the remaining 8% approximately 2900 tonnes of waste rubber tires that are not being recycled. Even though the recycling rate seems to be increasing for waste rubber tires, the values reported does not take into consideration the cumulative discarded waste rubber tires over time. Figure 1 shows the statistic of waste rubber tires in Singapore.

Figure 1 Statistics on waste rubber tire generated VS waste rubber tire recycled

Presently, waste rubber tires in Singapore are being discarded mainly through exportation to neighboring countries and incineration plants while the remaining are being dumped in Semakau Landfill (ZeroWaste SG, 2008). These methods of disposal help Singapore in clearing the waste rubber tires but are not feasible as a long-term solution as it creates additional environmental problems and solid waste pollution. Through exportation, neighboring countries processed the tires through incineration which would help them attain fuel but, in the process, emanate toxic gases into the surrounding and consequently leads to health endangerment. This results in an urgency for the government and relevant companies dealing with rubber tires to adopt environmentally friendly solutions to ensure that the recycling rate for waste rubber tires is kept at 100% to reduce carbon footprint and save landfill spaces.

Aligned with the Zero Waste nation idea, YARJ’s ideal situation is to fully utilize waste rubber tire by incorporating it into our roads without degrading the current quality of roads in Singapore.

1.2 Problem Statement

Singapore’s current method of recycling these waste rubber tires is not environmentally friendly. We are exporting the waste rubber tires overseas to be incinerated resulting in air pollution, and locally there is still 8% of the waste rubber tires being dumped at the landfill which results in land pollution. The waste rubber tire situation would affect not only the country but also the earth if not dealt with appropriately.

1.3 Purpose Statement

The purpose of our proposed submission is to notify LTA about the negative environmental impacts that come along with waste rubber tires and persuade them that Green Asphalt will be able to help Singapore to achieve 100% recycle rate of waste rubber tires in an environmentally friendly manner.

2.0 Proposed Solution

 YARJ’s proposed solution to recycle waste rubber tires efficiently is through our designed product called Green Asphalt. Green Asphalt incorporates waste crumb rubber tires into asphalt pavements as seen in Figure 2. It was observed through secondary research that the properties of crumb rubber have the potential of improving the road quality when designed appropriately. Therefore, a series of trials and experiments are conducted to ensure that Green Asphalt performance meets the standard of conventional pavements. Green Asphalt is a strategic and environmentally friendly way of recycling waste rubber tires without compromising the integrity of the roads.

Figure 3 Overview of Green Asphalt

2.1 Plan of Action

YARJ is committed to ensuring that Green Asphalt is suitable for Singapore’s asphalt pavements. As such, to ensure the quality of Green Asphalt is of an adequate standard, YARJ will be performing the necessary procedures and experiments to verify the properties of Green Asphalt. Refer to Appendix A for full experimental procedure.

YARJ will firstly obtain crumb rubber to incorporate it into the bitumen and conduct bitumen testing to evaluate the optimum crumb rubber content. Secondly, a suitable mix design will be selected and blended with the crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB) in different proportion with the mix design to create Green Asphalt samples for testing. Combining different percentage of the CRMB and aggregates allow us to evaluate the optimum CRMB and aggregates ratio which will be the final product.

2.2 Materials and Methods

2.2.1 Obtaining crumb rubber

Crumb rubbers are generally known as the finer recyclable grains of a rubber tire. There are two methods for attaining crumb rubber, and they are ambient mechanical grinding and cryogenic grinding, refer to Appendix A for obtaining crumb rubber processes. These two methods of obtaining crumb rubbers can be integrated into one system to maximise the benefits and to reduce overall costs. Although the crumbs obtained from cryogenic grinding are smaller and smoother, it is not as cost efficient as ambient mechanical grinding. (reference-how you know the about cryogenic grinding)

2.2.2 Bitumen Selection Process

Waste crumb rubber will be mixed into the bitumen used in preparing the Green Asphalt mix. As such YARJ needs to evaluate the available types of bitumen and select the most suitable bitumen to incorporate the crumb rubber with.

Types of bitumen

There are several types of bitumen used such as pen 60/70, Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB), and Performance Grade 76. Each bitumen has different properties, and its properties reflect its quality. Comparing these three mixes, Pen 60/70 bitumen is a suitable option as it is of lower quality as compared to the rest. This meant that improving the quality of this bitumen would be more significant. Pen 60/70 bitumen will be used as the base, and its properties will be designed and modified using crumb rubber to achieve a quality that is comparable to PG 76. Refer to Appendix B for qualities of bitumen.

Crumb rubber modified bitumen sample testing

YARJ needs to conduct several experiments to evaluate the properties of the crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB). Four critical experiments, viscosity test, hardness test, ductility test and elasticity recovery test would be conducted on the bitumen samples with different crumb rubber content percentage.

By carrying out the experiments, YARJ would be able to obtain the experimental data to evaluate the optimum binder content which is the percentage of crumb rubber to be added. Refer to Appendix B for experiment process information.

2.2.3 Aggregate selection Process

About 85-95% of any paving mixtures are the aggregates, these aggregates provide the paving mixture its strength and durability. Therefore, it is necessary to select a suitable mix design that will compliment well with the crumb rubber modified bitumen. (reference-how you know 85%-95% are aggregates)

Comparison of road mix  (reference-how you know the all these contents)

W3B Mix	Open Graded Wearing Mix
Gradation Graph
Properties	Dense graded mixture, with equally mix proportion of fine and coarse aggregates.	Open graded mix, with 60% and above of coarse aggregates.
Usage	Normal roads.	Expressways and other specifics type of roads.
Benefits	High contact point between aggregates.	Ability to drain water.
Production Temperature	165°C	180°C
Compaction temperature	135°C	150°C
Air voids	3-5%	7-9%

Based on table x. OGW mix design would be a better selection as it has a broader application and many benefits. OGW mix has high air voids this provides space for the crumb rubber to integrate into the mix which improves bonding between aggregates.

With the mix design selected, sieve analysis would be conducted to obtain the correct percentage of different size aggregates to produce Green Asphalt.

2.2.4 Green Asphalt Production & Testing

Mixing process

Upon achieving the optimum crumb rubber bitumen content and the correct aggregate percentage, we will mix them together. There is specifically two mixing process, they are the dry mixing and wet mixing process. YARJ believes that for small batching testing, the dry process is more suitable as the advantages such as it being cost effective and uses less energy fits well with a trial and error procedure. Dry process will enhance and speed up the process of determining the suitability and the right amount of compound mixture needed. Refer to Appendix C for experiment process information.

Figure 5 Dry Mix Process

Upon full adoption, YARJ believes that wet process will be a better choice as it uses more crumb rubber and has a lesser reaction time between aggregates, crumb rubber and bitumen. In addition, wet process will produce a finer quality sample. Implementation of the wet process will take much more energy and cost but will produce a higher quality of asphalt pavement. (further details can be found in benefits section).

Figure 6 Wet Mix Process

Green Asphalt Testing

To test the properties of Green Asphalt, 4 technical tests will be conducted on samples with different proportion of aggregates and CRMB. The 4 tests are the Cantabro test, indirect tensile test, resilient modulus test and the dynamic creep test. The results of these tests will provide specific information on the exact proportion of aggregates and CRMB to be used. The results will in evidently result in the optimum balance between waste rubber and the quality of the road. Refer to Appendix D for experimental process information.

3.0 Benefits of Proposed Solution (Green Asphalt)

The benefits of Green Asphalt are explained in detail in the paragraphs below.

3.1 Continuous recycling of waste rubber tires

Green Asphalt is designed to be an ongoing method to fully utilise waste rubber tires. With Singapore’s massive road infrastructure, and a constant need of maintaining roads, a massive amount of crumb rubber will be needed to accomplish this project. This method of sustainability will turn scrap rubber tires into a much valuable resource. In addition, with this method being implemented, there will be a relief of the Semakau Landfill. (reference)

3.2 Reduce emission of harmful gases

With Green Asphalt in place, the need of exporting waste rubber tires internationally will be obsolete. The tires that are export for incineration would instead be brought into service of the Green Asphalt. This will diminish the emission of harmful gases to the surrounding. Not only does Green Asphalt reduce damage cause to the environment, it also helps improve the condition of the air and health of the citizen. (reference)

3.3 Better drainage

With the crumb rubber being in amalgamated with the bitumen of the road, air voids will be created and thus increasing the porosity of the roads. With this air voids, rainwater can easily seep through the roads to ensure a much drier roads for safer driving. (reference)

3.4 Increment of life span of the roads and cost effectiveness.

The implementation of Green Asphalt will increase the lifespan of roads. With crumb rubber being integrated into the bitumen, the bonding within the structure will be strengthened and thus increasing the durability of the road. With the increase in road strength and durability that Green Asphalt entails, there will be a lesser need for regular maintenance which will reduce the overall upkeep cost. (reference)

3.4 Reduction of noise pollution

Green asphalt is also designed to reduce noise pollution. As noise is a vibration, the air voids in Green Asphalt will work brilliantly to mitigate and disrupt the vibration produced. The crumb rubber content in Green Asphalt also act as a cushion to soak up the noise. As high-rise buildings are located near the highway where there is a constant heavy traffic flow, noise mitigation will be deeply appreciated by the residents. (reference)

4.0 Proposal Evaluation

In this portion, the feasibility and draw backs of the proposed solution Green Asphalt will be evaluated and discussed.

4.1 Case study

4.1.1 Overseas implementation

Rubberised asphalt usage has been widely implemented in many countries since its first development in Arizona, USA in the 1960s. Countries like Sweden, Germany, France and many others have adopted the implementation of adding crumb rubber into asphalt. Due to advantages such as cost reduction and better performance against the conventional asphalt. (reference)

               4.1.2 Singapore’s implementation

Recently in Singapore, crumb rubber modified roads are being field tested on a portion of the West Coast Highway. The single lane of crumb rubber modified asphalt is being tested by SamWoh, where they evaluate the noise generated by the tires and the roads. Apart from the noise levels, they are also checking to see if there will be any major cracks or deformities in the road.

4.1.3 Higher placement & compaction temperature

Construction may be more challenging, as temperature requirements are more critical. Asphalt mixtures with high viscosity modified bitumen (CRMB) must be compacted at higher temperatures compared to traditional asphalt. This is because, like polymers, rubber stiffens the binders at high temperatures. Also, coarse gap-graded mixtures may be more resistant to compaction due to the stone nature of the aggregate structure. As such a higher temperature is required to construct Green Asphalt. In order to withstand the higher temperature, vibratory steel wheel rollers are used instead of rubber-tired rollers (Dennis, 2016).

4.1.4 Storage of crumb rubber modified bitumen

There is a tendency for the crumb rubber & asphalt to separate during storage & transportation which affects the homogenous properties of the asphalt. As such to prevent this from occurring maintaining heat & agitation is required until the application of the crumb rubber modified asphalt (Presti, 2013).

4.1.5 Hazardous emissions by rubberized asphalt mixture

Studies performed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Federal Highways Administration (FHWA), studied that the use of rubberised asphalt does not appear to increase health risks to paving personnel. In these studies, it concludes that the risks associated with the use of CRMA products were negligible and emission exposures in CRMA operations did not differ from those of conventional asphalt pavements. In addition it was also stated that the effect of CRMA on emissions is relatively small in comparison to the effects of other variables. Those variables include the fuelling rate of the dryer, mix temperature, asphalt throughput rate and asphalt binder content (Presti, 2013).

5.0 Methodology and Procedure

5.1 Primary Research

Primary research in the form of an online survey questionnaire was conducted by interviewing the team’s targeted audience and providing details to them of the ongoing situation of waste rubber tires in Singapore before they are required to fill in the survey. A total of 50 car owners including SIT students, professors, campus’ vendors and general public were chosen as survey participants as they are the stakeholders that have contributed to the increasing numbers of used tires. The intention of the survey is to find out the understanding of car owners regarding the use of their tires and highlight the current situation of waste rubber tires in Singapore which has always been an overshadowed issue by other materials due to media even though it plays an indispensable role in our modes of transportation.

The team interviewed Mr Moe, a member of the research and development committee of Samwoh. He has emphasized that waste rubber tires are flexible and durable which are properties that have the potential to improve the quality of our road infrastructure. Hence, he proposed the implementation of the design feature in SIT campus grounds to be used as a testing field and collection of data.

5.2 Secondary Research

Secondary research in the form of studying and evaluating existing research data and projects was conducted with the main source of the research based on an online research paper by the collaboration of Samwoh Corporation and Singapore Polytechnic. The research paper “Crumb Rubber Modified Bitumen in Open Graded Wearing Course of Flexible Pavement”, (Lwin, M.A. and Utomo, H.D., 2017) served as a source of credibility for the proposal with documented comprehensive information and experimental data and analysis on the performance of incorporating waste crumb rubber tires into bitumen. Besides that, other secondary researches includes literature review and online publications that explains Singapore’s insight on the issue, elaboration of the feasibility and drawbacks of the solution and case studies on the implementation by other countries, The Straits Times (2018), MEWR (2019), Nottingham Transportation Engineering Center (2013) and Centre for Transportation Research, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya (2013).

6.0 Conclusion

With Singapore being a developed country, the amounts of cars being produced yearly will only increase. This would lead to a higher production and disposal of rubber tires. Despite the efforts that Singapore has invest to reduce scrap rubber tires, these methods are either not ecological or sustainable. Tonnes of waste rubber tires are being sold internationally to be incinerated for fuel which will release harmful gases that will affect the livelihood of the people and environment. Currently, there is still an 8% of rubber tires that are yet to be recycled and ended up discarded to Pulau Semakau landfill. If further actions are not being taken immediately, Pulau Semakau landfill will be filled by the year 2035.

Apart from the immense amount of waste rubber tires generated yearly, Singapore also faced a problem whereby green spaces are suppressed to make land for road infrastructure and paved areas.  This results in flooding of road surfaces due to the increase of surface runoff, the increase of surface runoff will increase the chances of flooding and will be dangerous for road users due to hydroplaning. Hence, the issue of waste rubber tires and hydroplaning meant that an integrated solution is required to tackle both issues.

YARJ had come up with the idea of Green Asphalt upon conducting detailed experiments and countless in-depth researches to address these issues while adhering to the requirements set by LTA. These researches include meticulous selection of bitumen and aggregate and comparison amongst a wide spectrum of different mixes to obtain the optimum product. The idea of Green Asphalt revolves around the incorporation of crumb rubber tires into the paved areas and the property of the affected areas is seen to have multiple upgrades in terms of structural properties such as ductility and strength without affecting the structural integrity. Besides having better structural strength, Green Asphalt also administer secondary benefits such as faster drainage of water, noise reduction and cost effectiveness.

The establishment of Green Asphalt will not only serve as a method to fully utilise waste rubber tires, it is also a continuous process where new scrap tires will be put into good use. With the benefits that Green Asphalt entails, YARJ believes that the implementation of Green Asphalt will be a huge breakthrough to relief the landfill and for Singapore to achieve 100% recycling rate of rubber tires. 

1.1 Background Information:

Singapore is a densely populated country, with the population living in high-density developments including residential, commercial and industrial, it has resulted in an increase in paved areas and the suppression of green spaces. With the rising need for better infrastructure development, this means that there will be a linear relationship between the economy and the environmental crisis.

With the increasing number of cars in Singapore, it has boosted the tires production, and this led to immense stockpiles of waste rubber tires generated every year. As reported in 2017, Singapore had produced a massive amount of waste rubber tires, which amassed to 35,900 tonnes (NEA, 2017). Even though Singapore had come up with innovative efforts such as converting huge rolls of rubber tires into tiny chunks for multiple purposes and involving in international trades to minimise the number of scrap tires, only 92% of it is recycled. Hence, the remaining 8% approximately 2900 tonnes are discarded by undesirable methods.

Presently, waste rubber tires in Singapore are being discarded mainly through exportation to neighbouring countries, and the remaining are being dumped in Semakau Island which are low in economic value. These methods of disposal help Singapore in clearing used tires but are not feasible as a long-term solution as it creates additional environmental problems and solid waste pollution. Through exportation, neighbouring countries processed the tires through incineration which would help attain fuel but emanate toxic gases into the surrounding and consequently lead to health endangerment. Through disposal onto landfill, it was estimated that Semakau Island would be filled up by the year 2035 if Singapore does not change its current waste disposal management. Therefore, it creates an urgency to increase the recycling rate for rubber tires to 100% to reduce carbon footprint and save landfill spaces.

In summary, there is a need for Singapore to take environmental measures to ensure 100% continuous recycling rate for waste rubber tires.

1.2 Problem Statement:

An ideal green city should have a fully integrated recycling project which encompasses every sector that can contribute to sustainability. However, Singapore is not fully recycling waste rubber tires. There is still 8% of waste rubber tyres that are dumped into landfills which creates additional environmental problems and solid waste pollution.

1.3 Purpose Statement:

The purpose of our proposed submission is to notify LTA about the alarming situation in Pulau Semakau and to made know that there is an urgent need to achieve 100% recycle rate of waste rubber tires via an environmentally friendly manner Green Asphalt.

Team Members: Aliff, Joel, Yong Quan

Ganjian E., Khorami M., Maghsoudi A.A (2007). Scrap-tyre-rubber replacement for aggregate and filler in concrete. Construction and Building Materials, Volume 23 (2009), Pages 1828–1836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2008.09.020

The article written by Ganjian, Khorami and Maghsoudi from the Civil Engineering Department at the Bahonar University of Kerman in 2007, is a study that examines the feasibility of cement replacement by scrap-tyre powder and the contrast of aggregate replacement by tyre crumbs in concrete. It was reported that the result of global growth and demand in the automobile industry has boosted the tyre production and caused immense stockpiles of used tyres being generated. Since scrap tyre is nondegradable at ambient conditions and produces environmental mal-effects, the article aims to incorporate them into concrete to evaluate its behaviour and promote a sustainable way of reducing landfilling and saving virgin materials used in concrete production.

In the experiment conducted, 3 mixtures containing various proportions were made using chipped rubber to replace coarse aggregates, tyre powder to replace cement in concrete and a control mixture with no implementation of rubber. The objective was to analyse the specimens based on various parameters to understand the interaction of rubber particles with other components as compared to aggregates. Through mechanical and durability tests done according to respective standards, the authors concluded that the performance of the concrete decreased as rubber replacement increased. These include parameters such as compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, flexural strength, water permeability and water absorption. Besides the main factor of change being the differing properties of rubber particles and aggregates, the article also discussed the experimental observations and variables that resulted in it.  With the findings, the article supports the intensive research conducted on the properties that showcased the size, proportion, and surface texture of rubber particles affect the strength of used tyre rubber contained in concrete.

In the article, “Boy Genius Boyan Slat’s Giant Ocean Cleanup Machine Is Real”, Schiller (2017) described about the events that led to the conception and evolution of Boyan Slat’s Ocean Cleanup Machine design, which would start to help rid the ocean of tens of thousands of plastic garbage yearly from 2018. The author reported that the Patch had been covered in plastic debris since 1997, and the build-up had worsened since then; thus, it inspired Slat to clean the ocean. His design involved a large boom rooted to the seabed and would use the Pacific’s current to gather the trash into the centre, which would then be cleared up by “ocean garbage truck”. However, the project faced positive and negative reactions for its large scale concerning its resources and prospects. With all the hype generated by the initiative, Slat had modified his design to be more cost effective and efficient. Through research and development, the improved system consisted of a large anchor to suspend the boom in “deep-water layer” and had scaled to contain 50 devices of 0.6 miles each. Therefore, the system would not require excavating the seabed, and it ensured the continuity of the system even when one device ceased to function.

Overall, the article did address the ongoing development of the machine and the creator’s expectation of it. However, it has failed to convince the reader on the design’s efficiency and explain its interaction and impact on marine lives.

Firstly, the article did not state the machine’s capabilities and limitations precisely. Apart from emphasising that the device would clean up as much as 50% of the total debris within five years, the article missed out the fact that the machine would only be able to pick up the garbage of a centimetre or larger in size or at 3-metres deep. Removing the larger plastics would solve the entanglement issue for the aquatic wildlife and achieve an aesthetic ocean view. However, the article did not address the presence of microplastic, which would cause toxic effects on creatures when ingested and that it may indirectly affect human life when those creatures are fished and eaten by consumers. This point has been elaborated in the article, “Great Pacific Garbage Patch: Experts Unsure If Ocean Cleanup Is Going To Rid The Seas Of Plastic ” by, Yang (2018). Without addressing the incapability of the system, it would mislead readers into thinking that the machine would be foolproof and a successful solution to the current problem.

Also, the article overlooked the environmental impact caused by design. It is a known fact that with the implementation of such a large-scale system in the home of the aquatic wildlife, there is bound to be a disruption to nature. This point was explained in the article, “A Massive Plastic Cleanup Project Provokes Hope and Scepticism” by Stein (2018). The article emphasised that the device would become a “fish-attracting device” where small fishes would be attracted to the accumulation of algae on the device, which would bait larger fishes to the area. With the increases of fishes in the area, it would increase the rate of fishing since the system is unable to differentiate between the garbage and the sea creatures, and would result in the possibility of entanglement within the debris and the “ghost nets”. Without addressing the entanglement concern imposing a threat to sea creatures including endangered sea turtles, it would mislead readers into assuming that the foundation has not implemented measures to protect wildlife.

In conclusion, the project is a great initiative to clear up garbage accumulated over the years. However, the article should not omit the stated points as it showed the system’s limitations and aftermath impacts due to the promising implementation. Thus, it does not convince the reader on the design’s efficiency and explain its interaction with marine lives. Ultimately, in my opinion, prevention is better than cure, and so the initiative will be more successful if there are measures taken at the root causes which is to educate the public and factories and reinforce the need to dispose of waste properly.

References

Schiller, B. (2017, November 05) Boy Genius Boyan Slat’s Giant Ocean Cleanup Machine Is Real. Fast Company. Retrieved, February 05, 2019, from https://www.fastcompany.com/40419899/boy-genius-boyan-slats-giant-ocean-cleanup-machine-is-real

Stein, V. (2018, October 05). A massive plastic cleanup project provokes hope and scepticism. PBSO News Hour. Retrieved, February 05, 2019, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/a-massive-plastic-cleanup-project-provokes-hope-and-skepticism

Yang, E (2018, September 23). Great Pacific Garbage Patch: Experts unsure if Ocean Cleanup is going to rid the seas of plastic. ABC News. Retrieved, February 05, 2019 from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-23/ocean-cleanup-great-pacific-garbage-patch-plastics/10285938

Last Update: 08th April 2019

In the article, “Boy Genius Boyan Slat’s Giant Ocean Cleanup Machine Is Real”, Schiller (2017) mentioned about the events that lead to the conception and evolution of Boyan Slat’s Ocean Cleanup Machine design, which will start to help rid the ocean of tens of thousands of plastic garbage yearly from 2018. The author reported that the Patch was covered in plastic debris since 1997, and the build-up has worsened since then; thus, it inspired Slat to clean the ocean. His design involves a large boom rooted to the seabed and uses the Pacific’s current to gather the trash into the centre which would then be cleared up by “ocean garbage truck”. However, the project faced different reactions for its large scale concerning its resources and prospects. With all the hype generated by the initiative, Slat has modified his design to be more cost effective and efficient. Through research and development, the improved system consists of a large anchor to suspend the boom in “deep-water layer” and is scaled to contain 50 devices of 0.6 miles each. Therefore, the system does not require excavating the seabed, and it ensures the continuity of the system even when one device ceases to function.

Overall, the article did address the ongoing development of the machine and the creator’s expectation of it. However, it has failed to convince the reader on the design’s efficiency and address its interaction and impact on the marine lives.

Firstly, the article did not state the machine’s capabilities and limitations precisely. Apart from emphasising that the device will clean up as much as 50% of the total debris within five years, it missed out the fact that the machine is only able to pick up the garbage of a centimetre or larger in size or at 3-metres deep.  By removing the larger plastics, it will solve the entanglement issue for the aquatic wildlife and achieve an aesthetic ocean view. However, it does not address the presence of microplastic which causes toxic effects on creatures when ingested and it may indirectly affect human life by fishing and eating the affected fishers. This point is further supported in the article, “I asked 15 ocean plastic pollution experts about the Ocean Cleanup project, and they have concerns” (Shiffman, 2018). Hence, it showed a loophole in the system that may have unknowingly mislead readers into thinking that the machine is 100% foolproof.

Lastly, the article overlooked the environmental impact caused by the design. It is a known fact that with the implementation of such a large-scale system in the home of the aquatic wildlife, there’s bound to be a disruption to nature. In the article, “A massive plastic cleanup project provokes hope and scepticism” (Stein, 2018), it was emphasised that the device would become a “fish-attracting device” whereby small fishes will be attracted to the accumulation of algae on the device, which will bait larger fishes to the area. With the increased of fishes in the area, it will increase the rate of fishing since the system is unable to differentiate between garbage and them. Thus, it results in the possibility of entanglement within the debris and the “ghost nets”. Hence, it is a pressing concern that will cause public uproar if the foundation does not implement any measures to protect the creatures.

Although the project is a great initiative to clear up garbage accumulated over the years, it is not the best solution considering the number of resources used in its development which can alternatively be achieved by clearing the debris that washed up onshore. Ultimately, prevention is better than cure and so the initiative will be more successful if there is implementation at the root causes which is to educate the public and factories to dispose of waste properly.

Bibliography

Southern Fried Science (2018, June 13). I asked 15 ocean plastic pollution experts about the Ocean Cleanup project, and they have concerns. Retrieved, February 05, 2019, from http://www.southernfriedscience.com/i-asked-15-ocean-plastic-pollution-experts-about-the-ocean-cleanup-project-and-they-have-concerns/

PBSO News Hour (2018, October 05). A massive plastic cleanup project provokes hope and scepticism. Retrieved, February 05, 2019, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/a-massive-plastic-cleanup-project-provokes-hope-and-skepticism

KCET (2015, June 04). 6 Reasons That Floating Ocean Plastic Cleanup Gizmo is a Horrible Idea. Retrieved, February 05, 2019, from https://www.kcet.org/redefine/6-reasons-that-floating-ocean-plastic-cleanup-gizmo-is-a-horrible-idea

Kinder (2018, August 14). Boyan Slat’s The Ocean Cleanup might not be the saviour we were hoping for. Retrieved, February 05, 2019, from https://www.kinder-world.org/articles/problems/boyan-slats-the-ocean-cleanup-might-not-be-the-saviour-we-were-hoping-for-19058

In the article, “Boy Genius Boyan Slat’s Giant Ocean Cleanup Machine Is Real”, Schiller (2017) talks about the events that lead to the conception and evolution of Boyan Slat’s Ocean Cleanup Machine design, which will start to help rid the ocean of tens of thousands of plastic garbage yearly from 2018. Since 1997, the Patch was covered in plastic debris, and the build-up has worsened since then; thus, inspiring Slat to clean the ocean. His design involves a large boom rooted to the seabed and uses the Pacific’s current to gather the trash into the centre which will then be cleared up by “ocean garbage truck”. However, the project faced different reactions for its large scale concerning its resources and prospect. With all the hype generated by the initiative, Slat has modified his design to be more cost effective and efficient. Through research and development, the improved system consists of a large anchor to suspend the boom in “deep-water layer” and is scaled to contain 50 devices of 0.6 miles each. Therefore, the system does not require excavating the seabed, and it ensures the continuity of the system even when one device ceases to function. Overall, the article did address the ongoing development of the machine and the creator’s expectation of it. However, it has failed to convince the reader on the design’s efficiency and its interaction and impact on the marine lives.

The article did not state the machine’s capabilities and limitations precisely. Apart from emphasising that the device will clean up as much as 50% of the total debris within five years, it missed out the fact that the machine is only able to pick up the garbage of a centimetre or larger in size or at 3-metres deep.  By removing the larger plastics, it will solve the entanglement issue for the aquatic wildlife and aesthetically. However, it does not address the presence of microplastic which causes toxic effects on creatures when ingested and it may indirectly affect human life by fishing and eating the affected fishers. This point is further supported in the article, “I asked 15 ocean plastic pollution experts about the Ocean Cleanup project, and they have concerns”, Shiffman (2018).

Also, the article overlooked the environmental impact caused by the design. It is a known fact that with the implementation of such large-scale system in the home of the aquatic wildlife, there’s bound to be a disruption to nature. In the article, “A massive plastic cleanup project provokes hope and scepticism”, Stein (2018), it was emphasised that the device would become a “fish-attracting device” whereby small fishes will be attracted to the accumulation of algae on the device, which will bait larger fishes to the area. With the increased of fishes in the area, it will increase the rate of fishing since the system is unable to differentiate between garbage and them. Thus, it results in the possibility of entanglement within the debris and the “ghost nets”. Therefore, it is a pressing concern that will cause a public uproar if the foundation does not implement any measures to protect the creatures.

Although the project is a great initiative to clear up garbage accumulated over the years, it is not the best solution considering the number of resources used in its development which can alternatively be achieved by clearing the debris that washed up onshore. Since prevention is better than cure, it is a better option to start from the root causes which is to educate the public and factories to dispose of waste properly.

(589 Words)

Bibliography

Southern Fried Science (2018, June 13). I asked 15 ocean plastic pollution experts about the Ocean Cleanup project, and they have concerns. Retrieved, February 05, 2019, from http://www.southernfriedscience.com/i-asked-15-ocean-plastic-pollution-experts-about-the-ocean-cleanup-project-and-they-have-concerns/

PBSO News Hour (2018, October 05). A massive plastic cleanup project provokes hope and scepticism. Retrieved, February 05, 2019, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/a-massive-plastic-cleanup-project-provokes-hope-and-skepticism

KCET (2015, June 04). 6 Reasons That Floating Ocean Plastic Cleanup Gizmo is a Horrible Idea. Retrieved, February 05, 2019, from https://www.kcet.org/redefine/6-reasons-that-floating-ocean-plastic-cleanup-gizmo-is-a-horrible-idea

Kinder (2018, August 14). Boyan Slat’s The Ocean Cleanup might not be the saviour we were hoping for. Retrieved, February 05, 2019, from https://www.kinder-world.org/articles/problems/boyan-slats-the-ocean-cleanup-might-not-be-the-saviour-we-were-hoping-for-19058

In the article, “Boy Genius Boyan Slat’s Giant Ocean Cleanup Machine Is Real”, Schiller (2017) talks about the events that lead to the conception and evolution of Boyan Slat’s Ocean Cleanup Machine design, which will start to help rid the ocean of tens of thousands of plastic garbage yearly from 2018. Since 1997, the Patch was sighted to be covered in plastic debris, and the build-up has worsened since then; thus, inspiring Slat to clean the ocean. His design involves a large boom rooted to the seabed and uses the Pacific’s current to gather the trash into the centre which will then be cleared up by “ocean garbage truck”. However, the project faced different reactions for its large scale concerning its resources and prospect. With all the hype generated by the initiative, Slat has modified his design to be more cost effective and efficient. Through research and development, the improved system consists of a large anchor to suspend the boom in “deep-water layer” and is scaled to contain 50 devices of 0.6 miles each. Therefore, the system does not require excavating the seabed, and it ensures the continuity of the system even when one device ceases to function.

Overall, the article did address the current situation of the Patch and the ongoing development of the Ocean Cleanup Machine. Throughout the article, it has provided adequate information and explanation of the design modification and the creator’s expectation of it, but it has failed to convince the reader on the design’s efficiency to meet the high estimations, the durability of it withstanding the harsh weather conditions of the ocean and its interaction and impact on the marine lives.

Edited On: 30/01/2018