Rubberised road to provide double benefit

By Serah Lagdom
AN ECONOMIST says rubber producing countries and their governments including the International Natural Rubber Organisation, have been busy trying to find new uses for rubber to shore up demand and prices.
Institute of National Affairs Executive Director, Paul Barker said mixing cup lump rubber (unprocessed rubber) into asphalt to make rubberised sealed road surfaces was a recent initiative pursued particularly in Malaysia.
They have undertaken research and were even trying to make it compulsory to use rubber in road construction.
Barker said the resulting road surface was reputed to have various advantages over conventional asphalt, in terms of temperature abortion, durability and flexibility, extending the life of the road surface by several years.
With 4 tonnes of cup lump per kilometre of road, it would certainly boost demand and price, if road engineers considered that the advantages justified the extra cost.
“No doubt road engineers will be examining the findings from Malaysia to assess whether there is a strong or adequate benefit over time to justify this addition to the road sealing mix.
“Certainly, hard pressed rubber growers across PNG, notably located in more remote areas, such as North Fly district, with few alternative cash crop options, will be watching the outcome closely and hoping in stimulating prices worldwide.”
But they will also watch whether PNG road construction will consider adopting this technique.
If it delays the onset of potholes and reduces maintenance costs, it surly would provide a double benefit,” he said.
He said although natural rubber prices were still above the average for the 1980s through to about 2005, since 2010, they have fallen substantially, apart from a brief recovery in 2016 and 2017.
He said this was caused partly by a substantial increase in production in both the main traditional growing countries of South East Asia (Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia).
But increasingly also across Southern China, Vietnam and emerging economies, like Myanmar, South America and West Africa combined with wavering demand, including as a result of lower oil prices making the substitute, synthetic rubber, more competitive.