Patent Granted for Tyre Based Building Material

New York based company Re-Tread Products Inc. (RTP) has received a patent for a new building material it has developed; this product, known as the “Tire Log”, employs recycled tyres as its core ingredient, and the inherent flexibility in the tyre scrap used to produce the Tire Log is reported to make the product an ideal material for use in earthquake proofing and other safety related building. RTP is currently researching a number of commercial applications to which the Tire Log may be suited.

The “Tire Log” is made using a method that helically wraps a tyre’s steel belted tread around a core of tyre treads. By this means a product of any length or diameter can be produced, and RTP claims its patented design provides a high level of structural integrity. Material properties tests on the Tire Log so far appear to bear out the manufacturer’s confidence that it offers architectural and construction solutions to the civil, municipal and military sectors. The product’s ‘bend not break’ characteristics and its durability make it well suited for use in regions prone to earthquakes and flooding, and it has even been suggested that it could fulfil various “homeland security” roles in the US. More mundane potential uses for the Tire Log include as a wood, rock or concrete substitute in construction and landscaping.

Numerous well placed Americans have voiced their support for the Tire Log, including Senator Hillary Clinton, who has expressed an interest in the Tire Log for its many possible applications as well as the economic benefits of a new ‘green’ industry rooted in the state she represents. Her office recently contacted Army Corp personal in the Buffalo area in order to expedite RTP’s efforts to bring the Tire Log and its applications to the attention of national and international users.

RTP has also made contact with Habitat for Humanity, sharing its plans to develop a Tire Log house that could be replicated earthquake and hurricane prone regions. RTP believes the Tire Log’s low cost, the abundance of raw materials, and its durability could be an asset to the organisation. “Although Re-Tread Products has focused on the United States, discarded tyres are a global problem,” said Re- Tread Products Founder Thomas Hansen. “There are numerous worldwide applications for the Tire Log, because the product solves a major environmental problem, while simultaneously addressing other needs. It’s a win-win-win.

“We’re pleased the Tire Log is getting so much attention and support. We look forward to seeing it address a variety of critical issues…”