Kuwait is exploring how its waste tyre problem could become an opportunity for more sustainable road infrastructure, with research from the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) demonstrating the potential of rubberised asphalt in local road projects
KISR associate researcher Dr Haya Al Mutairi presented the research during the Kuwait Green Building Council’s From Waste to Roads webinar in August 2026, which examined the use of discarded tyres in road construction and the challenges of bringing the technology into wider use.
KISR has been investigating both wet- and dry-process rubberised asphalt, although its recent work has focused primarily on the wet process. Following laboratory testing and mixture development for Kuwait’s climate, the institute began trialling the technology in 2019, with subsequent applications including Khaled Al-Mazrouq Street in January 2023, Road 106 and a KISR campus road maintenance project.
Dr Al Mutairi explained that the trial sections had performed satisfactorily, with no significant problems attributed to the rubberised mixture, while KISR’s emission monitoring also indicated a lower overall emissions footprint during construction compared with conventional asphalt, including a notable reduction in carbon monoxide emissions.
The research team reached a maximum of 12.5% rubber replacement of the bitumen component in its successful mix design. The technology could therefore reduce demand for virgin bitumen while providing a productive outlet for waste tyres.
However, wider adoption remains dependent on specifications, approvals and market development. KISR has submitted recommendations for updated specifications covering rubberised asphalt and recycled asphalt, as current specifications do not fully accommodate recycled materials.
Source: Kuwait Green Building Council
