News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

BIR 2023 World Recycling Convention – a three-day gathering of internationally recognized experts in recycling and sustainability – to be held on May 22 – 24 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The twice-yearly meetings of the BIR Tyres & Rubber Committee have earned an enviable reputation over many years for the quality of the information provided and for their breadth of coverage. In addition to offering an expert dissection of latest market trends and of the latest array of challenges confronting the sector, the meetings have also become synonymous for showcasing the cutting edge of research and technology developments, including latest progress towards enhancing the recycled content of tires.

Nokian Tyres has entered into a research agreement for an international project with the aim of enhancing the quality and yield of recycled carbon black derived from end-of-life tires. The objective is to enable greater utilization of recycled carbon black in rubber compounds, providing tire and rubber manufacturers with the opportunity to create more sustainable products. Carbon black serves as a reinforcing filler in tires, enhancing their physical properties such as strength and resilience. Recycled carbon black can partially replace fossil-based virgin carbon blacks, contributing to a more sustainable approach.

Wastefront AS has announced a significant partnership with Weber & Schaer, one of Europe's largest distributors of rubber industry products, for the offtake and on-sale of their Recovered Carbon Black (rCB). According to Wastefront, this agreement secures a fully circular supply chain for end-of-life tires (ELTs) in the UK. The deal initially covers a minimum of 35% of rCB produced at Wastefront's Sunderland plant, with potential for future expansion. By manufacturing renewable fuels and new tires using ELTs and rCB, Wastefront moves closer to its goal of creating a Green Global Industrial Platform. With Weber & Schaer's expertise in rubber, carbon black, plastic, and adhesives distribution across Europe, Wastefront's ELT solution contributes to the global circular economy while expanding into new markets.

Revyre Global and XTyre Global featuted in the latest episode of The Tyre Recycling Podcast. Shaun Zukor, CEO of Revyre Global Limited, and Oscar Filen, CEO of XTyre Global, speak about the recent announcement of their license agreement and the impact it could have on the industry. The speakers dive deep into the details of the agreement and explore what it means for the future for the two companies in New Zealand and South Africa.

Zeppelin Systems GmbH, a leading supplier of plant engineering and process technology for the chemical and plastics industries, has recently formed the Sustainable Tire Alliance, a new platform of businesses in the tire recycling sector with different technologies that can work together to improve tire recycling. The alliance includes Regom, Recykl, Entex, Reoil, Evonik, Rubberjet Valley, and RCB Nanotechnologies. The goal of the alliance is to close the loop of secondary raw materials and make a sustainable contribution to the circular economy. The alliance aims to provide high-quality recyclates in sufficient quantities to meet the needs of tire manufacturers.

This special episode of the Tyre Recycling Podcast features two experts from the ambitious Blackcycle Project, which is working to create a circular economy model for enf-of-life tires. Stelios Stefanidis, a Collaborating Researcher at CERTH, and Pascal Klein, CEO of Pyrum Innovations, respond to questions from the editor Ewan Scott about the most recent advancements in the Blackcycle Project.

Danish environmental company Genan reports that it achieved a record turnover of more than EUR 62 million las year, presenting a 4.6% increase in comparison with the previous year. Yet earnings dropped from close to EUR 3.5 million in 2021 to EUR 1.5 million in 2022 – mainly due to high energy and freight prices. Despite these challenges, Genan, which has the capacity to turn more than 400,000 tons of end-of-life tires in total into new, usable materials each year, at its six recycling plants in Denmark, Germany, Portugal and the USA respectively, achieved a turnover of more than EUR 62 million.

After a pause due to Covid-19, the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) 'Briefing Day' will return this year. The event is a regular occurrence in the UK recycling industry and will take place on September 13th, 2023, at the Woodland Grange Hotel in Leamington Spa. Attendees will receive expert presentations and valuable information on the latest market and regulatory trends. For more information and to pre-register, contact the TRA office at:

Engineering News publication reports that TRIASA’s (The Tyre Recycling Industry Association of South Africa) launch is a significant event for the South African economy and environment, according to Dr Mehran Zarrebini, CEO of Mathe Group, a truck tire recycling operation based in Hammarsdale and a founder member of the new industry body. TRIASA has been launched with the aim to unite the different elements of tire recycling in South Africa and to provide a forum for discussion, knowledge exchange and collaboration on pressing issues within the industry.