Australia unlikely to use bio-bitumen in near term

Australia's use of bio-bitumen asphalt is unlikely to become widespread in the near term because of a lack of alternative materials to replace stone feedstock used in asphalt mixes.

More time is also needed to find ways to economically acquire alternative materials for the bio-bitumen asphalt mix and produce it, market participants said.

Australia has been searching for alternatives to stone feedstock in asphalt mixes because of a potential shortage of stone material from a lack of newly built stone quarries.

This, coupled with Australia's net zero emissions by 2050 goal in the transportation sector, has led to some trials measuring the suitability of using bio-bitumen asphalt to lay roads in Australia.

This includes a trial started last week by New South Wales (NSW) government transport and road agency Transport for NSW, which used bio-bitumen asphalt to lay a section of road in eastern NSW's Raymond Terrace city, according to Jenny Aitchison, minister for regional transport and roads.

The bio-bitumen asphalt used in the trial, also known as ECO5, lowers carbon footprint of conventional asphalt by 30pc, Aitchison said.

Transport for NSW will monitor the trial over the coming months. Bio-bitumen asphalt usage could potentially become widespread in the country if the trial is successful, Aitchison said.

But this will not happen in the short term as bio-bitumen asphalt is still in its early-development stages and road authorities will have to first approve the design of the bio-bitumen asphalt mixes as well, market participants said.

Asphalt company Colas developed the bio-bitumen used in the trial, at its Tomago plant in Port Stephens.

Australia imports significant quantities of bitumen from Asia every year. The country imported around 932,000t of bitumen in 2023, of which Singapore accounted for 30pc, followed by China at 22pc, according to data from the Australia Petroleum Statistics.

By Claire Ng