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Belgian recycling equipment manufacturer Lefort has acquired Aljon, an Iowa-based producer of balers and crushers for the scrap metal and end-of-life vehicle recycling industry. The acquisition strengthens Lefort America, which was launched in 2014, and expands the group’s presence in the North American recycling equipment market. Founded in 1963, Aljon has built a long-standing position in the design and manufacture of equipment used by scrap processors, automotive recyclers and landfill operators. Lefort said the transaction supports its international growth strategy and consolidates its position among global suppliers of recycling equipment, including shears, balers, shredders, crushers and machinery for high-volume material recovery operations.

New consumer research commissioned by Tyre Stewardship Australia has found strong public support for national rules requiring used tires to be properly collected and recycled. The YouGov study, conducted in March 2026 among 1,051 vehicle owners, found that 91% support national rules for used tire collection and recycling, while 92% believe the tire industry should take greater responsibility. TSA said the findings strengthen the case for a whole-of-supply-chain mandatory tire product stewardship scheme covering importers, retailers, collectors, recyclers and other participants. The survey also found concerns over transparency, illegal dumping and disposal fees, with many motorists unsure what happens to their old tires after replacement. TSA said the results show that Australia’s voluntary approach is no longer enough to deliver the accountability, traceability and environmental outcomes consumers expect.

TRA will use its 2026 Annual Day to press for stronger UK enforcement on waste tire exports, T8 exemptions, green procurement and domestic circular economy capacity. The event, scheduled for September 15, 2026, at Coombe Abbey Hotel in Coventry, will bring together the UK tire recycling and recovery industry under the theme “Giving Real Meaning to the Circular Economy.” According to the operational note, the conference will ask whether the UK Government is prepared to match circular economy rhetoric with statutory enforcement, end whole tire exports and support domestic green industrial resilience. TRA says more than 1,000 tonnes of whole waste tires leave British ports every day, while at least 150,000 tonnes of licensed UK tire recycling and remanufacturing capacity remains idle. The association argues that stronger export controls, the withdrawal of T8 exemptions, better documentation enforcement and public procurement for recycled content, retreads and rubberized asphalt are needed to build a more resilient domestic tire recovery system.

Over the past 12–14 months, the regulatory landscape for tire pyrolysis oil (TPO) has changed more rapidly than at almost any point since TPO began moving from an alternative fuel into a serious refinery and petrochemical feedstock. RED III, revised ISCC rules, the recognition of the fossil fraction of end-of-life tires as a potential recycled carbon fuel feedstock, and new end-of-waste pathways in England and France have all moved the market forward.

Tokai Carbon has raised its full-year 2026 forecast after first-half results came in ahead of its earlier expectations, with the Japanese carbon materials producer citing a projected recovery in automotive and tire industry demand. The company now expects full-year net sales of Yen386 billion, about €2 billion, up from its previous forecast of Yen370 billion and 19.5% higher than 2025 sales. Operating income is now forecast at Yen35 billion, compared with the previous forecast of Yen28 billion and Yen25.85 billion in 2025. Tokai said the revision reflects expected demand recovery in the automotive and tire markets, which are key customers for its carbon black segment. The update is relevant to the tire industry because carbon black remains one of the main reinforcing materials used in tire production, and demand trends in this segment often reflect broader movements in tire manufacturing and automotive supply chains.

Continental has developed a concept tire containing around 43% recycled materials as part of the EU-funded ZEvRA project, which focuses on circularity in electric vehicles. ZEvRA stands for “Zero Emission Electric Vehicles Enabled by Harmonized Circularity” and brings together 28 partners, with Continental participating as the only tire manufacturer in the consortium. The concept tire includes recycled tall oil, steel, rubber from end-of-life tires and polyester fibers made from recycled PET bottles. Continental said the development highlights what is technically possible today while also showing that industrial-scale use of recycled materials requires reliable regulatory frameworks, sufficient supply of high-quality recycled raw materials and scalable recycling technologies. The tire also achieved the highest rating for the EU rolling resistance label, demonstrating the company’s aim to combine sustainability with performance.

Paul Downey argues that US tariffs are pushing North American businesses toward more localized supply chains, creating an opening for the recycling sector to become a stronger source of domestic raw materials. The article says manufacturers are under pressure from higher raw material costs, while retailers are managing increased import costs, and that these conditions could make recycled materials more strategically important if the United States improves its recycling policy framework. The commentary frames recycling not only as an environmental activity but as supply chain infrastructure, arguing that domestic material recovery could help manufacturers reduce exposure to global trade disruption, support reshoring and build more resilient industrial supply chains. However, it also warns that without reform, the United States could miss the opportunity to turn recycling into a competitive advantage.

South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute have launched a national research and development program to convert waste clothing and used tires into higher-quality recycled raw materials. The program will invest KRW73 billion from 2026 through 2030, including KRW25 billion for technologies addressing waste clothing and KRW48 billion for technologies focused on waste tires. For the tire recycling sector, the initiative will support pretreatment of waste tires before pyrolysis to recover higher-quality recycled carbon black and develop tire manufacturing technologies capable of using more than 15% recycled carbon black in new tires. The ministry said the program is intended to strengthen circular resource systems, support commercialization of recycled materials and help Korean manufacturers respond to overseas environmental regulations, including the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.

The Government of Cozumel has removed another 24 tonnes of waste tires from the island as part of its ongoing environmental protection, public health and special waste management efforts. The tires were sent to the Geocycle co-processing plant in Macuspana, Tabasco, where they will be used in industrial processing rather than remaining in uncontrolled storage or disposal areas. The municipal action, led by the administration of Mayor José Luis Chacón through the Centro de Acopio de Materiales Reciclables, supports Cozumel’s strategy to reduce tire accumulation, prevent illegal dumping and limit health risks linked to mosquito breeding. The program also connects local tire collection with circular economy and tire recycling routes by moving end-of-life tires from the island to an authorized recovery destination.