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The Competitiveness Compass for the EU highlights the need for securing critical raw materials, a crucial aspect for the tire industry which relies heavily on natural rubber. The European Commission’s renewed focus on industrial resilience must include a dedicated Rubber Strategy to ensure long-term supply stability and sustainability.

A research team from the School of Chemical & Process Engineering at the University of Leeds, UK, has published a comprehensive study in the Journal of the Energy Institute (Volume 118, 2025) on the thermal decomposition of end-of-life tires (ELT) and plastics. The study investigates the potential of co-pyrolysis, a process that thermally decomposes mixed materials under oxygen-free conditions, to enhance the production of valuable products such as oil (TPO), gas, and char (raw rCB). Utilizing a laboratory-scale batch reactor, the researchers focused on a 1:1 mass ratio of tire and plastic feedstocks, examining the synergistic effects of decomposition and their impact on product quality and yield.

Continental’s UltraContact NXT has been awarded the CLEPA Innovation Award in the “Green” category, recognizing it as the company’s most sustainable production tire to date. Presented by the European Association of Automotive Suppliers, the award highlights the UltraContact NXT’s industry-leading use of up to 65% renewable, recycled, and ISCC PLUS mass balance certified materials.

The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has published its Monthly NR Statistical Report for November 2024, highlighting key trends in natural rubber (NR) production, demand, and pricing.

Yokohama Rubber has partnered with an international initiative titled "Utilization Technology of Rubber Seeds for Green Products to Mitigate Global Warming and Plastic Pollution." This groundbreaking project aims to leverage natural rubber seeds to address environmental challenges and improve economic conditions for agricultural workers.

SIBUR, a leading Russian petrochemical company, is advancing its efforts to substitute natural rubber in tires with synthetic alternatives. The company is collaborating with tire manufacturers to finalize tests of experimental tires made using synthetic isoprene rubber, with results expected in 2025.

Green Carbon Co. has partnered with Thailand Natural Rubber Corp. to develop biochar-based carbon credits using rubber wood scraps. This collaboration aims to enhance soil quality, reduce chemical fertilizer usage, and promote sustainability across Thai rubber plantations while adhering to global decarbonization and certification standards.

An international study has identified tire particles (TPs) as the largest source of microplastics, urging targeted research to address their environmental and health risks. Accounting for nearly a third of all microplastics, TPs differ from traditional microplastics in their size, chemical composition, and behavior in ecosystems, prompting researchers to advocate for their classification as a distinct environmental concern.

Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. is doubling its rubber recycling capacity at the Morimachi Plant in central Japan to accelerate the recycling of rubber used in automobiles. While progress is being made in the recycling of resources such as steel and plastic in the automobile industry, the recycling of rubber products is difficult and almost all rubber waste is incinerated (utilization of heat). Toyoda Gosei began operations of its first recycling line in FY2021, using its proprietary devulcanization technology that can recycle rubber products into high quality raw materials. The company has been reusing the waste material generated in the production of products.