From building materials to sustainable products, the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) is unlocking new opportunities for local entrepreneurs by transforming discarded tyres into rubber crumbs.
Discarded tyres pose a significant risk to the environment and to general human and animal welfare, as they are non-biodegradable and, while durable, are manufactured with materials that can become toxic when managed improperly.
According to the CEO of CARIRI, Hans-Erich Schulz, this issue is one the Institute has been working on solving.
“We have seen the accumulation of discarded tyres, posing risks to public health, contributing to pollution and creating long-term environmental challenges. But at CARIRI, we see challenges differently. We see opportunity. Through focused research and technical development, we have been able to process waste tyres into rubber crumb – a material that has significant potential across multiple applications, from construction to manufacturing and beyond.”
Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development Dr. Kennedy Swaratsingh commended the initiative’s ability to create entrepreneurial opportunities and to address environmental challenges.
“This initiative, therefore, forms part of CARIRI’s broader mandate to support applied research, industrial innovation and sustainable manufacturing, while also addressing critical environmental challenges associated with end-of-life tyres. By enabling local enterprises to explore practical applications for recycled products, the programme seeks to stimulate entrepreneurship, encourage circular economy practices and reduce waste through value-added utilisation.”
He added that this move demonstrates that environmental management and economic growth are not competing objectives, but rather reinforcements of modern development policy.
“To make this work, the business sector is included as a key developmental partner. To the business community gathered here today, I say the government is laying the foundation. The research has begun and indeed bearing fruit. The pilot plant is operational. The investigative and market studies are ongoing. The parameters for scale-up are being defined and will be further refined based on your own inputs.”
For the companies and individuals who received rubber crumbs from CARIRI, the opportunity to experiment and develop innovative uses for the product has just begun.