Shell
Shell unveils new environmentally friendly bitumen to reduce the impact of road paving on local air quality. Credit: Royal Dutch Shell plc.

Dutch energy and petrochemical firm Shell has introduced a greener bitumen product to help lower the impact of polluting gases on local air quality caused by asphalt production and road paving.

The new Shell Bitumen FreshAir product helps decrease emissions of specific gases and particulates from asphalt mixtures during production by an average of 40% compared to traditional bitumen.

During field studies and lab tests, it was found that Shell’s greener asphalt technology considerably reduced the levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOC) along with particulate matter (PM).

Shell global bitumen and sulphur vice-president Jason Wong said: “Road infrastructure is essential to modern living but urbanisation and denser transport and industrial activity have resulted in worsening levels of local air quality.

“The need for cleaner construction and transport infrastructure requires every industry to do its part in developing cleaner ways of working.”

“The new bitumen can be used with existing asphalt mixing and laying processes, and is expected to be made available in various countries this year.”

Shell Bitumen FreshAir has been developed at the company’s major research and development centre in Bangalore, India.

The new bitumen works directly with chemical compounds affecting air quality, as well as odour-releasing molecules.

This chemical reaction occurs in the original place at a molecular level that reduces specific gases and particulates and minimises their release into the air during production and paving.

Extensive testing of greener bitumen has been carried out by Shell in France, the Netherlands, Thailand and the UK.

The new bitumen can be used with existing asphalt mixing and laying processes, and is expected to be made available in various countries this year.