Tyres turned to coastal defences

Crash barriers and defences against coastal erosion are among award winning "upcycling" applications for used tyres, as envisaged by students of industrial design.

"Upcycling" is a form of recycling where the initial product becomes more attractive by either its increased usefulness or by simply becoming better looking.

Among the upcycling products developed from used tyres are lap top bags, crash barriers for use in sports halls or workplaces, matting for children's playgrounds, shoes, street furniture , fuel and garden walls.

Now a new product, an all-in-one coastal erosion barrier and amenity has been awarded first prize in the Tyre Recovery Activity Compliance Scheme (Tracs) scheme run in association with National College of Art and Design.

Students of industrial design Gemma Beardsley and Ellen Fogarty developed "ShoreSave" a strong robust crash barrier against incoming waves to protect vulnerable coastline. The multifunctional, modular design allows for almost endless expansion and ensures a secure wall structure to act as a buffer against the destructive power of the waves.

When the tide is out, Shore Save functions as an amenity for social interaction and relaxation as well as providing shelter for wildlife.

The team also aimed to make the structure as sustainable as possible by using only whole tyres and cutting out the high energy consumption involved in breaking them down.

Second place went to Moses Rowen and Jonathan Mitchell, whose project "Flexagon" utilises a honeycomb structure, consisting of an ultra fine crumb rubber (ground tyre) matrix, suspended in an elastomeric compound. Flexagon is a crash barrier with applications in any sport or workplace where crashing at speed or falling is a possibility.

Third place went to up Boris Kam and Ethan Grant whose project "Stac" is a new process that uses existing manufacturing equipment to create templates through which crumbed rubber can be pressed into any shape including chairs, benches, shelters, walls, audio proofing surfaces and general construction. Stac doesn't create a product, but an industry, its designers claim.

Tracs is a nonprofit, voluntary scheme for tyre industry operators designed to bring about complaince with the Waste Management Act.