According to Tyre & Rubber Recycling, Arrigoni Ambiental NFU SpA has become one of the leading players in Chile’s end-of-life tyre (ELT) recovery sector, positioning itself as a regional model for circular economy solutions. Founded in 2019, the company was established through an alliance between the Arrigoni business group and pioneers in pyrolysis technologies.

From its plant in San Francisco de Mostazal, about 65 km south of Santiago, the company processes nearly 10,000 tonnes of tyres annually — around 7% of Chile’s total generation. Using three semi-continuous pyrolysis reactors, Arrigoni converts waste tyres into tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO), recovered carbon black (rCB), and recycled steel, while working to integrate these by-products into industries such as mining, construction, and chemicals.

Recent innovations include producing activated carbon from rCB for water treatment filters and developing a chemical additive derived from TPO for molybdenum flotation in mining. These advances are complemented by local partnerships with universities and technical schools, job creation initiatives, and participation in environmental programs, embedding circular economy practices in the region.

Arrigoni is also an active member of national industry associations and maintains research collaborations with leading Chilean universities. While supportive of Chile’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law, the company highlights the need for stronger incentives, certifications, and recycled content requirements to ensure that recovered products find viable markets.

Looking ahead, the company aims to triple its processing capacity by 2026, with expansions in central Chile and a new facility in the mining-intensive north. Arrigoni Ambiental sees its model as replicable across Latin America, demonstrating how innovation and collaboration can transform tyre waste into valuable industrial inputs.

Read the full article at Tyre & Rubber Recycling.