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6PPD is an antioxidant and antiozonant that helps prevent the degradation and cracking of rubber compounds caused by exposure to oxygen, ozone and temperature fluctuation. 6PPD is used industry wide to help tires resist degradation and cracking, which is vital for driver and passenger safety. Antioxidants support increased tire endurance. There are no known alternatives to 6PPD that provide the same safety and performance characteristics in a tire.

Recently, the Tyre and Rubber Recycling magazine published an article on a Spanish study that suggests that microplastic loss from artificial turf can be limited. Every year, the Spanish tire industry manages 300,000 tons of end-of-life tires, of which about 75,000 tons are utilized as filler for artificial turf pitches.

The European authorities have introduced the limits for the PAHs in the recycled rubber used in synthetic turf pitches, and its content must not exceed 20 mg/kg. If the limit is met, a playground or a field can be considered safe for children and sportsmen. The evaluation of all possible risks has been conducted by The Risk Assessment Committee of the European Chemicals Agency, (ECHA). According to ECHA, it was important to make this research as the rubber contains controversial and potentiallly harmful PAH particles. If within the limits, the rubber that is made out of recycled end-of-life tires is safe and not harmful to people who spend much time training and playing on the grounds that contain this type of recycled material.

The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) has welcomed and lauded a European Commission’s decision to lower the concentration limit of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in synthetic turf infill materials. The news came from the European Rubber Journal (ERJ) on July 26. The magazine writes that on July 20, the European Commission lowered the limit of PAHs in granules and mulches used as infill materials for synthetic turf or playgrounds from the current 100mg/kg to 20mg/kg.

In 2021, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is continuing undertaking efforts to ban crumb rubber – recycled rubber granulate from shredded end-of-life tires – from artificial turf and playgrounds. ECHA’s intent to restrict the use of crumb rubber started back in 2019 when the organization, allegedly, found a scientific evidence against the use of recycled tire rubber in synthetic turf. Despite ECHA’s assertions, there hasn’t been a single scientific proof of human health risks caused by crumb rubber in other studies and research carried out by numerous research institutions worldwide.

The Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) has adopted its opinion on a landmark restriction proposal, which would ban microplastics in products such as cosmetics, detergents, fertilisers and could lead to a ban of its use as soft infill on artificial turf sports pitches. It would prevent the release of 500 000 tonnes of microplastics into the environment over 20 years. The adoption of SEAC’s opinion follows an earlier opinion by the Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) in June 2020. Both committees concluded that an EU-wide restriction under the EU’s chemicals legislation REACH is the most appropriate means to address the risks of billions of small, solid plastic particles polluting our environment. SEAC also concluded on the expected benefits and costs to society of the proposal.

Robert Weibold is speaking at the World Recycling Convention organized by the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) on October 15, 2020. Mr. Weibold will take part in the session “Tyres & Rubber” which will be devoted to breakthrough technology projects to drive circular economy in ELT Recycling. Tyres & Rubber Committee eForum A dynamic BIR Tyres & Rubber Committee eForum earlier this year, in June, covered topics as diverse as COVID’s impact on world tire manufacturing and tire recycling markets, latest tire collection and processing data, benefits and barriers relating to pyrolysis, developments surrounding end-of-waste, and another emerging threat to producers of crumb rubber infill.

In August 2020, the Portuguese Technical Commission CT-181 “Produtos reciclados de pneus” (Recycled Products from Tires) sent its official response to the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) with regard to ECHA’s proposed restrictions for the use of crumb rubber in synthetic turf sports fields. Earlier in 2019 and 2020, ECHA proposed an outright ban on crumb rubber use where the particle size was <5mm or a thread length was <15mm. This recommendation to the European Commission was to include a six-year adoption period from 2021.

The European Chemical Agency’s Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) is proposing an EU-wide ban on microplastics infill in sports and other play surfaces from 2028 due to ‘possible’ environmental releases. Since our tyres contain a mixture of natural rubber and synthetic polymers (TDRM), these are deemed to have been intentionally introduced into infill materials. The ECHA further claims that 16,000 tonnes of this material is ‘released’ into the environment annually and constitutes its justification for the proposed ban.