News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

Today, on November 21, 2022 Robert Weibold, a tire recycling and pyrolysis consultant from Vienna, Austria, speaks in the new episode of Rubber Industry NewsHour. The topic of Robert’s presentation is “Waste Tyres & Pyrolysis: Status Quo, Trends, and Challenges”. Rubber Industry NewsHour is a weekly program for Rubber Industry on Every Monday. This program is managed and owned by TechnoBiz. Since January 2022, TechnoBiz has hosted 42 episodes so far. This program has been well-received by rubber industry professionals across the world.

Pyrum Innovations AG (Pyrum), a pioneer in the sustainable recycling of end-of-life tyres based on its patented pyrolysis technology, has been named an “Employer of the Future” (Arbeitgeber der Zukunft) by the German Innovation Institute for Sustainability and Digitalisation (Deutsche Innovationsinstitut für Nachhaltigkeit und Digitalisierung, DIND). The award was based on a multi-stage assessment process in which DIND experts examined the Company's sustainability and analysed its digital touchpoints and brand presence. The official award ceremony will take place on 1 December 2022 in Cologne by the former Federal Minister of Economics Brigitte Zypries.

Birla Carbon – one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality carbon black solutions – celebrates its ‘Decade of Sustainability Excellence. Birla Carbon has been reporting on Sustainability since 2013. Some of its many success stories over the last decade have been shared on a webpage titled Decade of Sustainability on the Birla Carbon website. Sharing his thoughts on the milestone, John Loudermilk, Chief Executive Officer, Birla Carbon, said, “Birla Carbon has been focused on Sustainability to build leadership in its business, as well as, a better future for all.

Scandinavian Enviro Systems (Enviro) received in February 2022 an order for pyrolysis oil from the subsidiary of a leading US oil company for production tests. The subsidiary has now informed Enviro that the production tests were successful. The oil was delivered in June following its approval in accordance with the EU REACH directive, a condition for a final deal. The subsidiary has since carried out production tests of the delivered oil to determine how suitable it is for the production of various biofuels. These tests have now been finalized and Enviro has been informed by the client that the tests were successful.

Recycling companies warn that proposed EU regulations could result in the export of millions of tires for disposal or incineration. The European Recycling Industries' Confederation (EuRIC) charged that the European Commission's draft legislation, which would essentially ban the addition of rubber granules made from recycled tyres to AstroTurf sport fields, was in direct opposition to the Commission's own circular economy agenda.

RubberGreen – a technology company developing solutions to upcycle rubber materials into final compound for high-end applications – announced the close of an additional €2.7 million equity financing. The financing round is co-led by TREЇS, GREEN.er and IMBC. The company will use the funds to accelerate the commercial deployment of the patented technology RubberGreenCycle. This proprietary upcycling process is a disruptive solution for the safe reuse of industrial and postconsumer rubber waste.

Genan – one of the largest end-of-life tire recycling companies in the world – reports that the political discussion about the use of rubber granulate in artificial turf pitches has now been launched by the EU Commission. In its recent article, Genan informs that different committees under the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) have been asked to provide their assessments during the process leading up to the Commission recommendation. These committees include the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC), which recommends a total ban on the use of rubber granulate with a 6-year phase-in period, and the Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC), which in addition to the ban proposes the alternative of installing Risk Management Measures (RMM) on pitches to prevent spreading.

Wastefront AS – a Norwegian waste tire recycling company – in collaboration with leading Swedish chemical engineering company Hulteberg Chemistry & Engineering AB – announced that it has been awarded a €2 million grant from Eureka Eurostars, the world’s largest funding-program for business collaborations in creating innovative products for commercialisation, and the Norwegian Research Council and the Swedish Innovation Agency. The total project-funding amounts to €2.076 million: €1.038 million from Eurostars and €1.038 million from project partners.

Spanish Greenval Technologies – a Spanish company offering end-of-life tire (ELT) solutions – is to build a tire recycling facility in partnership with Spanish tire specialist Grupo Soledad. According to Grupo Soledad’s president, Salvador Pérez, the plant is contemplating a 20 million euro investment. Pyrolysis is the foundation of the transformation process. It generates six times less CO2 than any other combustion process, making it one of the cleanest energy sources for turning end-of-life tires into high-value petrochemicals and alternative fuels.