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The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) reacted last week to the novel scientific investigation by the Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG) on tire and road wear particles (TRWP) that conventionally form part of non-exhaust emissions, saying that it welcomed it and was carefully reviewing the probe. The association agreed with the researchers’ conclusion that there is the need for more studies that would help understand better non-exhaust emissions from scientific perspective.

Italian waste tire management authority Ecopneus launched development of a new matting merchandise that contains recycled tire rubber; the development was created in association with the country’s military service, CEMIVET, that supports equine units. However, the product can also be used outside military applications. The company´s general manager stressed that the new product is in line with the principles of sustainability and circular business model.

A global producer of synthetic rubber Trinseo believes that styrene which can be processed out of plastic waste can be reused in tire manufacturing; however, it is still unclear how the industry could switch from a linear production reaching a more sustainable approach like circular economy. This concern was voiced by Trinseo’s tech and innovation director Sandra Hofmann during Future Tire Conference 2019 in Germany’s Cologne earlier this month. She explained that currently there is an access to a stream of recycled styrene that could be used in packaging, or, alternatively, be upcycled in tires and SSBR (solution-styrene butadiene rubber).

Cement company Argos belonging to a larger Colombian conglomerate used over 75,000 tons of waste as energy source last year – this amount represents all waste, including scrap tires, that a city with population of 200,000 generates annually. Moreover, the company’s alternative fuel control system at cement plant in Cartagena uses scrap tires and helped increase co-processing capacity of Regional Colombia by 200%. Following the success, the company signed an official document in which it set forth its commitment to sustainability vowing to rely on alternative fuels, including scrap tire rubber, received via recycling.

With recycling and sustainability making headlines in the mainstream news, recovered carbon has ever growing market potential. Its enhanced use would lead to reduction of CO2 footprint, cost reduction to carbon black users, less price volatility and even in some cases performance benefits over carbon black grades. It is used as a substitute for virgin carbon black, or applied in combination with its virgin counterpart; the research of the recycled material’s applications, its blending properties and value is still ongoing, and it was deeply discussed during Recovered Carbon Black Forum held on May 21-22 in Berlin, Germany organized by Smithers Rapra and Martin von Wolferstorff.

British government commences consultations aimed at overhauling the waste system via reducing plastic contamination; the step encouraging recycling is expected to bring the island nation closer to circular economy. The consultations are likely to result in a more widely-used Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) not only for such waste as plastics, but for scrap tires as well.

Eighths Biennial Scrap Tire Conference organized by the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) and Scrap Tire Research and Education Foundation (STREF) will take place on December 4-5, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. The event will pay special attention to the subject of sustainability and circular economy, and will discuss how scrap tire market can carry out sustainable practices. During the conference, the participants who are involved in tire recycling industry will get a chance to take part in discussions dedicated to the new trends in circular economy practices, what challenges and opportunities may emerge on the scrap tire market. The presenters will talk about rubber modified asphalt, tire-derived fuel, as well as tire pyrolysis and devulcanization.

European Rubber Journal hosts this year’s the Future Tire Conference on June 11-12 in Germany’s Cologne. Potential attendees are now welcome to register and secure their place at the events that will unite tire industry key players and specialists at Leonardo Royal Hotel Köln – Am Stadtwald. During the conference, visitors will learn about the importance of sustainability when building and improving tire business, no matter if stakeholders are involved in tire production, tire recycling or supply sectors, as circular economy is expected to have an impact on all. The event will provide an insight into managing recycling considering nascent business opportunities in tire recycling, carbon print reduction and taking into account human health and environment protection.

Evonik Rubber – speciality chemicals company dealing with scrap tire rubber – rubber modified bitumen based on scrap tires is gaining ground. The intensified search for better road durability and lower traffic noise, with both being environmental concerns, has meant an increasing market for rubber modified bitumen. The good news is that recycled tires can be successfully reused in production of such bitumen.