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The EMEA Synthetic Turf Council (ESTC) takes note of the publication of the European Commission's recommendations for the implementation of limitations for the introduction of purposely added microplastics onto the European market (Annex XVII REACH1). The best strategy to limit microplastic emissions, according to the Commission, is to ban the sale of purposefully added microplastic infill for synthetic turf systems in the future (most often, end-of-life tyre shred).

It its latest press release, the European Tyre Recycling Association (ETRA) stated that after 77 years of peace, humanity experiencing the tragedy of a war in Europe which is expected to be long, with all the tragic consequences connected to it: humanitarian, economic, environmental, political, etc. The cost of energy, which doubled already before the war, has now decupled posing serious concerns about energy availability and affordability and survival of many industries (Tyre Recyclers included) as well as families.

The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) strongly rejects an EU proposal that will indirectly ban materials from tyres as part of its effort to eradicate microplastics. Each year around 150 million tyres are processed for recycling annually – that’s one tyre for every three EU citizens. This rubber from recycled tyres has a wide range of everyday benefits that may not always be obvious – including essential materials for artificial football pitches, children’s playgrounds, and filling potholes.

The 27th ETRA Conference on Tire Recycling, which had been postponed by Covid, was held in Brussels. It was a great tribute to the late Dr. Valerie Shulman, whose presence was missed by many who knew her and were familiar with her emphatic control of the previous events.

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.

According to its latest press release, Tyre Stewardship Australia CEO Lina Goodman announced the appointment of Dr Linda Mitchell as the first science and innovation advisor for the organisation.

Porous Lane, a new firm that uses University of Melbourne technology to create highly permeable pavements out of recycled tire rubber, is delivering water to the city's parks and gardens while also diverting garbage and reducing pollution in our rivers. Porous Lane uses research from the University of Melbourne to create permeable pavements out of used tires. These ecofriendly pavements filter rainwater to decrease stormwater runoff, promote healthy tree development, and prevent flooding in our urban environment. According to the University of Melbourne, Porous Lane pavements are less expensive, more durable, and simpler to maintain than its rivals, with the added bonus of containing at least 50% recycled content.

A subsidiary of the prominent automotive manufacturer Audi – The Audi Environmental Foundation – has started working with Technical University of Berlin to filter our tire wear particles containing microplastics and other substances which, reportedly, harm the environment. More information about tire wear particles and how microplastics harms the environment can be found here. In its press release, Audi writes: “The Audi Environmental Foundation is involved in several projects to protect bodies of water. In the URBANFILTER project, Audi is developing optimized sediment filters for urban runoff in collaboration with the Technical University of Berlin. They trap microplastics in tire wear and other pollutant particles before they are flushed into sewers and waterways along with rainwater. A modular system consisting of nine different filter modules ensures that they achieve the best filtration results across a wide range of road and traffic conditions. Intelligently connecting data from various sources ensures that the filters are serviced and cleaned at the right time.”

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.