According to VACO – the trade association for the tire and wheel industry in the Netherlands – the Dutch State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management, visited tire retreading company Roline and saw with her own eyes how renewing commercial vehicle tires can make an important contribution to saving raw materials and reducing CO2 emissions. Heijnen said she liked the fact that the sector itself is working hard on the way to the circular economy. The company visit is part of the knowledge and information campaign about retreaded tires that VACO launched at the end of 2022.

Extending the service life of commercial vehicle tires for trucks and buses by retreading tires offers great opportunities. Reusing tires reduces waste and saves approximately 55 kilos of raw materials and waste per tire during production, more than 60% CO2 emissions and 70 liters of oil. The performance is at least equal to that of a comparable new tyre. In addition, a retreaded tire is on average 30% cheaper. Sustainability, economical use of raw materials, circular economy, performance and lower purchase prices should be reasons for both the business community and the government to use retreaded tires. Nevertheless, the market share of retreaded commercial vehicle tires in the Netherlands is much lower than in neighboring countries. Currently, about 20% of passenger and freight transport in the Netherlands runs on retreaded tires. In Germany this is 28%, in France 35% and in the US even half of them run on retreaded tires.

The Netherlands’ business community and the government are therefore missing out on opportunities, VACO believes. According to VACO, if Netherlands were to reach the French level in the Netherlands, the country could save 10,125,000 kilos of CO2 emissions, 5,250,000 liters of oil and 4,125,000 kilos of raw materials and waste compared to the current Dutch level. In Germany and France, government incentive schemes in particular contribute to the higher market share. That is why VACO has submitted the following suggestions to the State Secretary:

  • Make the use of retreaded tires an urgent advice in government tenders where it is possible
  • Use the truck levy from 2027 as a subsidy on retreaded tires as in Germany
  • Give renewal companies exemption from the CO2 tax in an EU context
  • Make government communication about the benefits of retreaded tires easier to find

If the Dutch government encourages tire renewal, as is also the case in Germany and France, more circularity will be created in both passenger and freight transport in the short term.

Press release by VACO.