Noneconomic Barriers

One of the major noneconomic barriers to the use of rubber for paving in the past has been the lack of long-term test results. Some of the roads installed 15 to 20 years ago are still not worn out. Test controls are required because well designed asphalt roads may also sometimes last that long. Many of the test results are now available and more states are looking toward A-R and RUMAC. However, not many states, if any, are completely satisfied with either A-R or RUMAC to the extent that they are using either on a routine basis to build their new roads. 

Some testing in Wisconsin indicated that asphalt-rubber roads may actually crack before asphalt roads. This temporarily halted activities in that state. However, after reevaluating their results and results from other states, Wisconsin has just installed 30 miles of asphalt-rubber roadway and is planning 3 new projects in 1990. 

There is a need to summarize the results of asphalt-rubber and RUMAC research and establish guidelines that would help states use this process. Texas has already passed procurement guidelines. 

Another potential barrier, the ability to recycle pavements containing rubber, needs to be tested. Given the similarity of the substance to conventional asphalt, however, it should be a matter of how, not whether, it can best be recycled. 

Another barrier is the lack of national specifications for pavements containing rubber. Some states appear to be waiting for specifications to be written. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has developed a standard specification (ASTM D-04.45) for asphalt-rubber to be voted on by its members in 1990-91. 

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Noneconomic barriers refer to a number of constraints on utilization. These include technical concerns such as lack of technical information or concerns regarding the quality of products or processes. These barriers also include the reluctance of consumers, processors, and regulators to employ new approaches or technologies for aesthetic or other reasons. They also include constraints on utilization because of health and safety, environmental issues, laws, and regulations. 

Most of the technologies available for mitigating the nation s scrap tire problem are limited by both economic and noneconomic barriers, and it is often difficult to separate the two. For example, the use of retreaded or used automobile tires is limited by competitive new tire prices, an economic barrier, as well as consumer concerns about safety and reliability, a noneconomic barrier. Designing tires to last 100,000 miles or more would cost considerably more and also would likely result in rougher rides and more tire noise. 

Making products such as reefs, playground equipment, floor mats, gaskets, etc., out of scrap whole or processed scrap tires is primarily limited by the high cost of tires compared with other raw materials. However, there are also some noneconomic barriers. Reefs made of tires, for example, are not appropriate for the rough shores of the northwest. Playground equipment made of wood or other products is often preferred for aesthetic reasons. 

One of the major noneconomic barriers to the use of rubber in asphalt pavements has been the lack of consensus on the results of long-term testing. Many long-term tests have been performed, but they were performed in over a dozen states, and as yet these tests have not been brought together and evaluated in a cohesive study. 

The main noneconomic barriers to scrap tire combustion are the time required for permitting a plant and the concerns of neighbors regarding environmental, health, and safety issues. Because of the test bums required and time delays in permitting, many cement plant and pulp and paper mill operators hesitate to change their operation for the small savings realized by burning scrap tires. 

Table 13 SUMMARY OF BARRIERS TO SOLVING SCRAP TIRE PROBLEM Technology Economic Barriers Noneconomic Barriers... 

In the sections which follow, the economic barriers for various waste tire utilization methods will be discussed. For those methods which seem economically feasible, the noneconomic barriers will also be examined. 

As discussed above, there are currently operating facilities where the combustion of tires and tdf has proven to be profitable. The economic feasibility of tires-to-energy plants depends on the buy-back rate for the electricity. For tdf consumed at cement kilns or pulp and paper mills, the economic feasibility depends on cost savings over competing fuels. Only a substantial annual cost savings justifies modifying a plant to handle tdf. The next section discusses the noneconomic barriers that must be considered once it has been determined that tire combustion is economically feasible. 

Noneconomic barriers to scrap tire combustion include problems in siting new facilities and environmental concerns. These two types of noneconomic barriers are related since objections to siting are usually due to perceived environmental problems. These noneconomic barriers are discussed below for power plants and tire derived fuel usage. 

The main noneconomic barriers to a tires-to-energy plant are the time required for permitting a plant, and the concerns of neighbors regarding environmental, health, and safety issues. 

Barriers to increased scrap tire utilization can be classified into two main types - economic and noneconomic. 

Barriers to the increased usage of rubber in asphalt pavements are both economic and noneconomic in nature. The cost of installing roads of rubberized asphalt is greater than conventional asphalt, which is an economic barrier. On the other hand, several studies show that the total life cycle cost of rubberized asphalt is... 

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