Pyrum Innovations AG (Pyrum), a company that recycles scrap tires sustainably with its globally patented, unique pyrolysis technology, and SUEZ recycling and recovery UK Ltd (SUEZ) have entered into a one-year exclusivity agreement to build Pyrum's first pyrolysis plant in the UK.

Under the terms of the agreement, the utility, which is active in water and waste management, will determine the site for the first plant over the next 12 months and, with support from Pyrum, will begin the permitting process. SUEZ bears the costs for the approval process. The planned plant is to be equipped with three pyrolysis reactors and thus have a recycling capacity of around 20,000 tons of end-of-life tires per year. After successful approval, the first plant is to be built.

Pyrum’s patented pyrolysis reactor technology will result in the recovery of high-quality raw materials from tires, saving up to 72% of CO2 emissions in the process when compared with current recycling methods.

During the pyrolysis process, tires are separated into their component raw materials – oil, carbon black and pyrolysis gas. The carbon black is re-used in the manufacturing of new tires, the oil is taken by BASF and recycled into new products and the pyrolysis gas is used to power the plant.

Pascal Klein, CEO of Pyrum Innovations AG: “The European rollout of our unique technology is progressing. With SUEZ we were able to win one of the leading companies in the field of sustainable solutions and innovative technologies for the British circular economy. In the future, Pyrum and SUEZ will benefit from each other's expertise. The first location should now be determined as soon as possible. Then we will carry out the approval process together with the local authorities.”

John Scanlon, CEO of SUEZ recycling and recovery UK: “The agreement is an exciting milestone for SUEZ. As a leader in the development of a resource efficient UK circular economy, we are delighted to be working with Pyrum who are also leaders in their field. With our experience in delivering new infrastructure, SUEZ is the natural choice to introduce this innovative technology in the UK, which will significantly improve the recycling of end-of-life tires and significantly reduce CO 2 emissions compared to current tire recycling technologies. We look forward to working together over the coming year to develop plans for the first UK facility.”

Through the partnership with SUEZ, Pyrum Innovations AG is expanding its extensive and promising pipeline for the construction of pyrolysis plants in Europe. Most recently, the company had signed letters of intent with several companies for joint projects. In addition, Pyrum is currently in the final phase of expanding the main plant in Dillingen /Saar and is planning another plant of its own in Homburg, for which a suitable plot of land was recently secured. With the move to Great Britain, Pyrum and SUEZ are opening up the promising British recycling market for scrap tires. Around 50 million tires (480,000 t) are discarded in the UK, of which 13.4 million tires are currently used as alternative fuel.

About SUEZ

SUEZ recycling and recovery UK employs over 5,600 people across hundreds of sites and processes over 10 million tons of waste each year - a significant proportion of the UK's total waste generation. Through collection, treatment, recycling and logistics, the company serves more than 30,000 business customers and millions of households across the country.