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SIGNUS and the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) have renewed their collaboration for the 2024-2025 academic year in the prestigious Master’s Degree in Waste and Wastewater Management for Resource Recovery. This partnership focuses on advancing education and research in waste management while promoting the circular economy and equipping future professionals with the expertise needed to tackle environmental challenges. The renewal agreement underscores a shared commitment to fostering responsible and sustainable practices in managing solid and liquid waste. Activities planned for the academic year include specialized training sessions, workshops, seminars, and guided visits to authorized waste management facilities. These efforts aim to provide students with both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. Additionally, the collaboration will support research and development (R&D) initiatives, encouraging scientific innovation and the transfer of knowledge to address pressing environmental issues.

SIGNUS and AIMPLAS have completed the first phase of the GREENFU project, which aims to develop composite materials using recycled rubber from end-of-life tires (ELTs) combined with thermoplastics. The project focuses on creating sustainable solutions for industries such as automotive and construction, leveraging the properties of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs).

SIGNUS first registered its carbon footprint with the Spanish Climate Change Office in 2017, becoming the first verified and certified collective management system to do so, with certification by AENOR. This project was launched with the aim of seeking ways to improve the environmental management of end-of-life tires. This involves not only finding more applications for the resulting byproducts but also engaging all stakeholders involved in the various management operations to advance their energy efficiency.

Recently, SIGNUS Ecovalor has published the Guide to highlight the different uses of recycled tire materials in urban environments (pavements, urban furniture, etc.). This Guide, primarily aimed at municipalities, is designed to be a helpful tool in fulfilling their commitment to the Circular Economy in cities and addressing the need to incorporate ecological criteria in public procurement. This will enable administrations to promote and contribute to economic and environmental sustainability goals through their activities.

Signus Ecovalor engages in eco-friendly tire recycling by converting ELT textile fibers into BHET using high-temperature, high-pressure ethylene glycol. Yet, efficiency faces challenges when contaminants like rubber are present. Pure PET textiles achieve an 85% efficiency, while contaminated tire textiles reach only 20-30%.

On September 25, the European Commission has introduced a ban on crumb rubber infill, coinciding with the ban on intentionally added microplastics. This move addresses concerns about the use of crumb rubber in sports fields, which initially centered on the PAH content. Research revealed elevated PAH levels, even after reductions, prompting further investigation. The European Chemicals Agency's Risk Assessment Committee expanded the definition of microplastics to include any polymer under 5mm, encompassing most crumb rubber infill.

SIGNUS – the Spanish end-of-life tire management authority – registered for the first time with the Spanish Office of Climate Change the Carbon Footprint generated by its activities in 2017. It became the first extended producer responsibility collective system to do so in a verified and certified manner by AENOR. The Carbon Footprint Registry is voluntary and collects the efforts of Spanish companies, administrations, and other organizations in calculating, reducing, and offsetting the greenhouse gas emissions generated by their activities.

Valebridge Media Services (VMS), the international media services company in Crewe (United Kingdom) and Madrid (Spain), has announced the shortlist of nominees for the 2023 edition of the Recircle Awards, the event organised to promote and recognise sustainable innovation, production processes, management and services in the tire retreading and recycling sector. The shortlist, chosen from a preliminary list of candidates nominated by the public has once again been compiled by the Recircle Awards Nominations Committee made up of 14 experts, including respected tire industry journalists, industry association heads and independent consultants from around the world.

The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) gathered more than 100 participants, from policymakers, recyclers and NGOs in Brussels on 18 April 2023 for its first conference dedicated to tire recycling. According to EuRIC’s press release, many speakers called for immediate actions. Poul Steen Rasmussen, President of EuRIC Mechanical Tire Recycling (MTR) and Group CEO of Genan, stressed in his opening remarks: “Tire recycling ticks many boxes, it saves critical resources that Europe would otherwise import, thus contributing to Europe’s strategic autonomy. It reduces the carbon and energy footprint and supports the EU’s ambition to carbon-neutrality. Yet, EU policy should do more to support tire recycling. To achieve the ambitious goals, set out in the Green Deal, it is essential that stakeholders from the entire tire value chain work closely together to solve sustainable problems and increase the use of recycled materials from tires in many different applications, including new tires!”.