Mexico’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources is promoting a circular economy model for waste tire collection, recycling and recovery in Morelos, where 13 municipalities are already participating in a system that collects end-of-life tires and transforms them into refuse-derived fuel for industrial use. Semarnat Secretary Alicia Bárcena Ibarra visited the State Center for Circular Economy for Tire Transformation in Jiutepec and the Tepetzingo plant of Cementos Moctezuma, where collected and processed tires are used as alternative fuel in cement production. The initiative forms part of the federal government’s effort to remove abandoned tires from dumpsites, ravines and roads, while shifting from a linear model of extraction, production and disposal toward a circular economy based on reuse, recycling and material recovery. The project involves cooperation between federal, state and municipal authorities and the private sector.

Thirteen municipalities participate in tire collection

Semarnat said 13 municipalities in Morelos have adopted the process of collecting and managing end-of-life tires. The tires are processed and transformed into Combustible Derivado de Residuos, or refuse-derived fuel, which is then used in industrial processes.

Bárcena said the program shows how the three levels of government and the private sector can work together to address waste management challenges and turn discarded materials into resources. She highlighted the role of Cementos Moctezuma in using processed tire waste as fuel for industrial energy needs.

Semarnat visits circular economy center in Jiutepec

The visit included the Centro Estatal de Economía Circular para la Transformación de Llantas in Jiutepec, where Bárcena observed the industrial mechanism used for tire recycling. The facility is part of the state’s effort to organize waste tire collection and processing under a circular economy approach.

According to Semarnat, the General Circular Economy Law is being applied first in the rubber sector. The approach is intended to prioritize design, reuse, recycling and valorization of materials, with shared responsibility among governments, companies and society.

Cementos Moctezuma uses processed tires as alternative fuel

Bárcena later visited the Tepetzingo plant of Cementos Moctezuma, where collected and processed tires are used as refuse-derived fuel in cement production. The use of tire-derived fuel can help divert end-of-life tires from uncontrolled dumping while replacing part of the conventional fuel used in industrial processes.

The governor of Morelos, Margarita González Saravia, said tires abandoned in ravines, homes and tire shops are being received free of charge and converted into fuel for the company. She called on residents to participate through their municipalities by handing in unused tires to help protect the environment.

Federal government prioritizes removal of abandoned tires

Bárcena said President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo had established the removal of abandoned tires as a priority. She said the goal is to eliminate tires discarded in dumpsites, ravines and along roads by the end of the year.

Abandoned tires can create environmental and public health problems because they accumulate in uncontrolled locations, trap water and become potential breeding sites for mosquitoes. Organized collection and tire recycling systems can reduce these risks while supporting safer waste management.

Producer and importer responsibility discussed

José Luis Samaniego Leyva, Undersecretary for Sustainable Development and Circular Economy, said the General Circular Economy Law provides for a coordinating body that would work with tire producers and importers to establish a fee reflecting the cost of transporting tires to recycling centers.

This approach links tire management to shared responsibility and could help finance collection and recycling infrastructure. Such mechanisms are important for building stable end-of-life tire management systems and reducing reliance on informal or uncontrolled disposal.

Morelos authorities and municipalities support the initiative

Bárcena thanked the Government of Morelos, Cementos Moctezuma and participating municipalities for their role in the program. She said municipal participation is essential because waste is generated locally and collection systems depend on local coordination.

The event was attended by representatives from Semarnat, the Morelos government, Conafor, Cementos Moctezuma, the state legislature and municipalities including Jiutepec, Xochitepec, Tepoztlán, Temixco, Emiliano Zapata and Huitzilac.

Project supports circular economy transition

Semarnat said Mexico generates 140,000 tonnes of waste per day, a volume the ministry compared to filling the Estadio Azteca ten times every day. Against this background, the tire recycling model in Morelos is being presented as an example of how waste streams can be managed through recovery and industrial use.

The initiative connects tire collection, rubber recycling and tire-derived fuel with broader sustainability goals. By removing tires from illegal or uncontrolled disposal routes and converting them into an industrial resource, the program supports Mexico’s transition toward a circular economy with shared responsibility among public authorities, businesses and citizens.

Article source: Gobierno de Mexico.