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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.

The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) gathered more than 100 participants, from policymakers, recyclers and NGOs in Brussels on 18 April 2023 for its first conference dedicated to tire recycling. According to EuRIC’s press release, many speakers called for immediate actions. Poul Steen Rasmussen, President of EuRIC Mechanical Tire Recycling (MTR) and Group CEO of Genan, stressed in his opening remarks: “Tire recycling ticks many boxes, it saves critical resources that Europe would otherwise import, thus contributing to Europe’s strategic autonomy. It reduces the carbon and energy footprint and supports the EU’s ambition to carbon-neutrality. Yet, EU policy should do more to support tire recycling. To achieve the ambitious goals, set out in the Green Deal, it is essential that stakeholders from the entire tire value chain work closely together to solve sustainable problems and increase the use of recycled materials from tires in many different applications, including new tires!”.

According to the company’s chairman, tire retreading sector creates huge amounts of tire waste and this material is one of the firm’s dominant products for exports as it can be successfully recycled to produce crumb rubber infill for sport fields, tire-derived oil, molded products for flooring, insulation panels and even shoe soles.

In Episode 50, the Tyre Recycling Podcast brings an enlightening interview with Federico Dossena, the Managing Director of Ecopneus. The focus in this episode revolves around the potential ban on microplastics and its implications for the Italian market. Join the speakers as they delve into a thought-provoking discussion on the far-reaching consequences of such a ban, exploring the challenges and opportunities it presents to tyre recycling and sustainable practices.

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.

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.

Even though earlier media reports stated that the EU was about to introduce a legislation prohibiting the use of artificial turf on playing surfaces, The European Commission stated that the information was misleading. The authoritative body added that it was only focusing its work on health risks posed by some microplastics and looking into developing its sustainable substitutes.

Australian government scientists have expressed increasing concerns about the potential risks to human health and the environment posed by synthetic turf, and they are calling for further investigation and regulation of its use. A new report by the Chief Scientist of New South Wales (NSW) reveals the presence of toxic chemicals, including heavy metals and volatile organic compounds, in the rubber infill of synthetic turf. However, it is still important to find out if there is a risk of migration or if it is just a presence.

The next BIR World Recycling Convention and Exhibition will take place from (26) 27 – 29 May 2024 in Copenhagen. The recycling market has been rocked by the European Commission’s decision to ban crumb rubber infill from use in synthetic turf surfaces at the end of an eight-year transition period. Therefore, the focus has shifted to alternative opportunities, with tyre pyrolysis attracting plenty of headlines, investment and imaginative thinking. Given the huge strides forward taken in this field over recent years, it will again form one of the main topics for debate at the upcoming BIR Tyres & Rubber Committee meeting to take place in Copenhagen on Tuesday May 28.