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The second AZuR colloquium at the TH Köln Gummersbach campus brought together 18 scientists to discuss innovative methods and possibilities for recycling end-of-life tires (ELTs). Scientists from various universities and institutes presented current studies and research projects in areas such as microwave-assisted devulcanization of rubber, ecosystem development for a circular tire replacement business, and the activation of rubber waste for secondary raw material production.

AZuR reports that the practice of retreading tires in Europe is encountering a new challenge. An increasing influx of tires imported from the Far East is increasingly displacing them. Over the span of ten years, the market share for retreaded truck tires has decreased from 34.2% in 2012 to 20.1% in 2022, as per ETRMA data. This shift holds significant implications for both the environment and the climate. Retreaded tires in Europe offer the same quality, safety and durability as comparable new tires, as well as clear environmental benefits. The retreading here in Europe not only reduces long transport distances, but also reduces CO2 emissions in production by over 60% and energy consumption by about 50%.

Episode 53 of the Tyre Recycling podcast features industry experts Paul Lloyd and Dan Hutchinson from WF Recycle-Tech. As Directors of the company, they share insights on their pyrolysis system they haveve developed, which has the potential to become another key player in the field.

In AZuR’s (Allianz Zukunft Reifen) network, material recyclers are important buyers of end-of-life tires for the secondary raw materials. Recently, AZuR introduced Austrian company KIAS Recycling GmbH as a partner. KIAS Recycling GmbH operates the only used tire recycling plant in Austria, which is one of the most modern in Europe. At the Ohlsdorf site, up to 30,000 tons of end-of-life tires are broken down into their individual components and the majority of them recycled.

Marangoni – a worldwide developer and distributor of materials and technologies for the cold retreading of truck and bus tires – is set to showcase a wide range of sustainable tire solutions for commercial vehicles in the quarry at the upcoming Steinexpo (Homberg, Germany, August 23 – 26). The company has partnered with the tire brand Westlake, manufactured by China's Zhongce Rubber Group, in a collaborative sales agreement. This collaboration allows Marangoni to offer both new and retreaded tires in one comprehensive package, presenting a compelling concept for mining operations.

AZuR network coordinator Christina Guth moderated a kick-off meeting of authorities, road construction companies, science and research, as well as the tire and recycling industry representatives that decided to found an official project group on the subject of rubberized asphalt. The Alliance Future Tires (AZuR) network wants open up funding opportunities and commission studies in order to install significantly more rubber asphalt in the future. In this meeting, the project group discussed the current status, obstacles, objectives and how to proceed, explore the potential of rubber-modified asphalt and shape the future of an infrastructure.

AZuR’s (Allianz Zukunft Reifen) network with a wide variety of companies related to the field of end-of-life tire recycling, welcomes a new partner. The British supplier of pyrolysis technology WF Recycle-Tech manufactures ethical and environmentally friendly systems that are used worldwide for the recycling of end-of-life tires. The company's patented thermodynamic process uses kinetic energy and heat to break down the rubber crumbs of end-of-life tires into three end products: oil, gas, and recovered carbon black (rCB). All three end products of the process have commercial applications: the oil can be used as fuel or for the production of chemical products, the gas can be used to generate electricity and heat, and the rCB can be used in the rubber and plastics industries.

Allianz Zukunft Reifen (AZuR) initiative aims to promote and utilize the potential of retreaded tires for environmental protection. Backed by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU), AZuR refutes common stereotypes about retreaded tires with recent studies and scientific facts. Modern technologies are used in the production of retreaded tires. Despite technological progress, prejudices persist, but AZuR is striving for an image change and would like to establish retreaded tires as the standard.

Zeppelin Systems entered into another important partnership in the mechanical recycling sector on February 7, 2023. The Italian Technology group formed by RubberJet and Vertech specialized in recycling particularly large scrap tires, for example from trucks and construction and mining machinery. High-quality rubber recyclates are made from scrap tires measuring up to four meters in size, which can later be used to manufacture new tires. According to Zeppelin Systems, the patented and proprietary method is 100% environmentally friendly. According to current figures from the AZuR network (innovation forum for scrap tire recycling, of which Zeppelin Systems is a member), around 3.5 million tons of scrap tires are generated in Europe each year. In Germany alone, around 550,000 tons of scrap tires were accrued in 2021. If every scrap tire in Europe was recycled, around 2.45 million tons of CO2 emissions would be saved.