Innovative use of waste tyres: Noise-barriers and geoengineering

Theodor Haas 1, *, Erich Markl ² and Maximilian Lackner ²

1 Mag. art. Theodor Haas, c/o Handel - technische Anlagen Annemaria Haas, Reinthalgasse 55, 4470 Enns, Austria.
2 University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Höchstädtplatz 6, 1200 Vienna, Austria.
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology and Sciences, 2020, 01(01), 044-056.
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjaets.2020.1.1.0024
Publication history: 
Received on 10 November 2020; revised on 16 November 2020; accepted on 20 November 2020
 
Abstract: 
Globally, more than 1 billion waste tyres are produced every year, and environmentally friendly end-of-life scenarios are highly sought after. Incineration to capture energy is a common practice. An improvement to sustainability is a cascaded use, where worn-out tyres are first being deployed in a meaningful way, e.g. as noise barriers or as embankment stabilization, where they can add value for several years to decades, before they are incinerated. The novel innovative use cases for tyres were found to offer advantages for the environment, while saving costs over materials that are being deployed today. This paper presents two recent innovations with waste tyres by a private inventor, and also highlights critical success factors for this type of innovator. Perseverance is one character trait a private inventor has to demonstrate in order to land a true innovation, focus a critical activity. Waste tyres can be considered an underutilized raw material.
 
Keywords: 
Innovation; Private Inventor; Upcycling; Waste Management; Sustainability; Invention
 
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