News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

In its efforts to advance chemical recycling, Neste has successfully conducted its first processing trial run with a new challenging raw material, liquefied discarded tires. In the processing run, Neste produced high-quality raw material for new plastics and chemicals. For the processing run, Neste sourced pyrolysis oil derived from discarded vehicle tires by Scandinavian Enviro Systems

Pyrum Innovations AG (Pyrum) has received RCS sustainability certification for its pyrolysis oil, setting another milestone in the company’s commitment to sustainable textile production. This makes Pyrum one of the first companies to have its oil certified according to this standard. The certification ensures that the oil meets all the necessary sustainability criteria required by Pyrum’s customer BASF for the production of its product "Ultramid® Ccyled®", a polyamide for textile applications. Pyrum’s certified pyrolysis oil is fed into the production process by BASF and allocated to Ultramid® Ccycled® using the mass balance approach. The mass balance process and RCS certification also ensure transparent traceability in the supply chain.

Smithers is launching the first Recovered Carbon Black (rCB) Conference in Asia, scheduled for September 24-25, 2024, in Qingdao, China, and available online. Building on its European success, the conference aims to foster important business conversations on rCB in Asia, in line with China's carbon neutrality ambitions and worldwide sustainability initiatives. Call for papers has officially opened for 2024. If you have something to share on any of the following areas, or something else you feel is relevant, Smithers encourages you to submit your proposals.

Swedish Tyre Recycling (SDAB) has entered into an agreement to deliver tyre raw material to feed the new tyre pyrolysis plant currently being built in Uddevalla, Sweden by the joint venture between funds managed by Antin Infrastructure Partners and Scandinavian Enviro Systems (Enviro). The plant will utilise the innovative Enviro proprietary technology that allows the production from sorted and processed ELTs (End-of-life tyres) of valuable recovered Carbon Black (rCB) and Pyrolysis Oil in high demand by the industry to create a fully circular supply chain. The strategic agreement between the parties entails the delivery of a significant volume of the annual amount of the ELTs collected in Sweden, with deliveries commencing in 2025.

Circular Rubber Technologies – a Vancouver-based company specializing in converting rubber from industrial end-of-life tires into a reclaim material that serves as a substitute for virgin rubber – is set to launch the first demonstration plant for an innovative tire-recycling process in Red Deer later this year. With a focus on reusing rubber indefinitely, the facility is expected to revolutionize tire manufacturing. Spearheaded by chief innovations officer Shauna LeBlond, the $16-million project has garnered significant attention, earning nominations for the prestigious Alberta Emerald Award and other ecological honors.

On 15 April, EuRIC’s tyre recycling event “Reinventing the Wheel: Advancing tyre recycling”, brought together all the value chain stakeholders to address tyre circularity challenges and collaborate on opportunities for increased material recovery in the EU. Held in Brussels, the event emphasised the significant untapped potential for tyre circularity. Key requirements include improved ecodesign of tyres, mandatory recycled content targets either in new tyres or other applications, and chemical legislation for recycled materials from tyres based on risk assessment rather than the precautionary principle, all fostered by harmonised EU-wide End-of-Waste criteria.

Am Jahrestreffen der Allianz Zukunft Reifen bei der MESSER Group in Krefeld nehmen auch die jüngsten AZuR-Neupartner teil: Rubber Conversion, detection-x und AKA Verfahrenstechnik. Diese bringen mit patentierter Technologie, zukunftsweisenden KI-Lösungen und hoher Verfahrenskompetenz frische Impulse ins Netzwerk. Insgesamt setzen sich damit bereits 72 AZuR-Partner für eine nachhaltige Reifen-Kreislaufwirtschaft ein.

Researchers and farmers are exploring alternative crops with potential for climate resilience and economic sustainability, as highlighted in a recent Associated Press article. Professor Katrina Cornish from Ohio State University is at the forefront of this movement, dedicating her efforts to cultivating rubber-producing dandelions and desert shrubs. She envisions these crops transforming the landscape of U.S. agriculture, offering environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional crops.

Mars Mineral, a global provider of pelletizing technology and agglomeration solutions, has announced the shipment of a Model 26D100L stainless steel pin mixer to LD Carbon (LDC), a leading producer of recovered carbon black (rCB). LDC, based in Seoul, South Korea, will receive the pin mixer at its new manufacturing facility in Dangjin. This plant, slated to open during the second quarter of 2024, will be the largest end-of-life tire (ELT) pyrolysis and rCB operation in Asia. The Mars Mineral Pin Mixer is a high-speed, conditioning, and micro-pelletizing device that converts rCB from pyrolysis of ELTs into small spherical pellets through the action of a high-speed rotor shaft and pin assembly with the addition of a liquid binder, usually water.