Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Production of Bio-Rejuvenated Recycled Shingles (BR2S) for Pavement Construction
EPA Contract Number: EPD15037Title: Production of Bio-Rejuvenated Recycled Shingles (BR2S) for Pavement Construction
Investigators: Oldham, Daniel J.
Small Business: Bio-Adhesive Alliance Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: September 1, 2015 through February 29, 2016
Project Amount: $100,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2015) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Building Materials
Description:
This SBIR Phase I project was to perform a proof of concept and evaluate technical feasibility and market viability of a novel technology to convert swine manure to bio-rejuvenators that are green, low in cost, and highly effective (more durable) to revitalize tear-off roofing shingles. The Bio-Modified Recycled Shingles (BR2S) was then evaluated for possible usage in pavement construction. The result of physiochemical and rheological characterization of BR2S was very promising and proved that BR2S with specific rheological properties can be engineered for use in asphalt pavements as a partial alternative for currently used virgin bituminous binder (asphalt binder). Accordingly, Bio-adhesive Alliance (BAA) provides a sustainable and an environmentally friendly technology to not only treat swine manure but also reuse of tear-off roofing shingles which otherwise end up in landfills. From the other side, during our phase I project we received the feedback to our technology from several customers, suppliers and governmental agencies assisted by the consultant from Foresight Science & Technology. The interviews and discussion showed BR2S is very well received not only by asphalt market as a low cost alternative to asphalt to counteract the increasing price of virgin asphalt but also by many shingle producers for possible reuse in shingle manufacturers. Below is a brief table of some of the highlights and comments we received from our interviews.
Farmers | Asphalt Terminal | Construction Contractor | End-User | Road Authority | Environmental Agency | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Value Proposition |
Facilitate manure management Create marginal revenue |
Lower price Easy blending Use as modifier to upgrade low-grade asphalts |
Lower construction cost Lower mixing temperature Less VOC on job site |
Reduce cracking Reduce potholes |
Promote recycling Extend their dollar by reducing cost of the lane-miles of paved road |
Reduce odor/lagoon spillage Use water and bio-char as clean bedding/ fertilizer |
# Interviews | 38 | 30 | 32 | 50 | 34 | 6 |
Some Words of Wisdom from Interviews |
|
|||||
International Entities | Caster Group (pre-licensing term sheet for Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands); Fortius Altius (Licensing term sheet for France and Spain), Conduct customer interviews with Composan, Spain; SGS and Chemelot (the Netherlands), FEHRL (Belgium); Acciona (Spain); Eiffage ( France); IFIP (France) |
Phase I Project Highlights:
- Conducting customer interviews in both the agriculture and the construction sectors with suppliers, customers, strategic partners, and government agencies, and regulator entities
- Design and partial building of the pilot plant including manure pre-processing, transfer pumps, heaters, heat exchangers, and reactor,
- Develop a strategic alliance partnership with EWS, a manure processing company with direct and significant involvement with pig farmers in North Carolina,
- Receiving the equivalent of $50K from EWS toward building the shelter, concrete mat, and step-up transformer, in addition to allocation of adequate operation space at no cost to BAA,
- Establish a pre-agreement with partners in Europe for possible licensing for EU marker (see table below),
- Develop a partnership with IFSTTAR, government agency for roads in France (equivalent to Federal Highway Administrative Agency in the U.S.); receiving a road demonstration grant from the European Union’s Infravation Call (in collaboration with IFSTTAR ) to place a road trial section in France and evaluate rejuvenation effectiveness of bio-rejuvenator in a trial section that best resembles actual road conditions
- In recognition of the potential impact of the product on pig farming as well as the fact that France is the third largest producer of pigs in Europe (after Germany and Spain), BAA technology wasselected as a finalist for the 2016 European innovation challenge.
This SBIR Phase I project developed, characterized, and demonstrated in the laboratory scale the merits of application of a Bio-Rejuvenated Recycled Shingles (BR2S) for Pavement Construction based on swine manure and recycled shingles as an alternative to petroleum-based asphalt for highway construction.
SBIR Phase II:
Production of Bio-Rejuvenated Recycled Shingles (BR2S) for Pavement ConstructionThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.