Tire wear is a main contributor to microplastics. As we cannot fully avoid tire wear, otherwise we could not brake and stop, new solutions are needed to address this problem. Not only on roads tire wear is released to the environment, even more can be found at airports. The advantage there is that the Tire Wear Airstrip Particles are gathered while cleaning the pavement. This collection is an opportunity to recycle and add new value to it. Whereas rubber powder is a common way to recycle and reuse end-of-life-tires as raw material in rubber compounds, the question is if TWAP is reusable in the same or similar way. In this study TWAP and rubber powder from truck tire treads are analyzed and compared with regard to their morphology, particle size distribution and composition. The particle size distribution of TWAP is broader than rubber powder containing also much smaller particles. The mineral content of TWAP is about 60%. These minerals can be residues of the pavement, brake wear but also rubber ingredients. In comparison to rubber powder, the impurities of TWAP are expected to have an impact with regard to potential applications and should be better separated.

Designed for transit or heavy-haul applications, Loram Technologies Inc.’s gauge-face lubricants are pumpable in extremely low temperatures and biodegradable. EcoCurve Heavy Haul carries the European Ecolabel — awarded to products that meet high environmental standards — and is suitable to use near bodies of water, company officials said in an email. Rail King HL is “inherently biodegradable” and has high load-carrying capabilities, making it best suited for heavy-haul applications, company officials said.

A new automatic lubrication system from SKF Lincoln helps maintain the performance of farm equipment by increasing chain reliability.