The new road sealant trial is expected to not just be better for the environment, but also last longer, too, and likely to soften less on hot days.

Onkaparinga Crescent became the first street in the ACT to trial Tonerseal as part of a joint venture between ACT Roads and infrastructure contractor Downer.

It follows a similar product trialled last year called Tonerpave, which has recycled printer toner, but not the old tyres.

Last year's trials of Tonerpave went so well it has been put in place on a dozen sites in the ACT but ACT Roads maintenance manager Peter Thompson said Tonerseal could be an improvement despite not creating as smooth a surface.

"There's the possibility we're going to get some better properties out of it," he said.

"We're going to be trialling it in cul du sacs because there we have garbage trucks turning and that's one of our biggest issues around Canberra."

Mr Thompson said the results of the trial could be decided within the next six months.

"Our sealing season is through the summer, so we could be looking at rolling out things during next summer which would start from October," he said.

Downer manager Gana Varendran said he doubted people would be able to feel the difference between Tonerseal and regular roadbase and it would likely last longer.

"We think technically it's a superior product but hopefully one of the advantages of this binder is that when it's really high temperatures, like 60 degrees pavement temperature like we had last weekend, the toner added to the rubber gives you an increased resistance to bleeding or softening of the bitumen," he said.

ACT Roads estimates the 1.4 kilometre stretch in Kaleen of Tonerseal will save 990 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions from entering the atmosphere.

According to Mr Varendran, products like Tonerseal and Tonerpave could become even more sustainable in the next few years.

"The other opportunity is with the asphalt and Tonerpave, we're looking at potentially adding glass," he said.