News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

New Zealand is set to trial its first rubber-modified asphalt road surface, marking a notable development in the country’s efforts to find higher-value applications for end-of-life tyres. According to Radio New Zealand, the Selwyn District Council in Canterbury is planning a trial section in Glentunnel on State Highway 77, with work expected to begin in early 2026. The initiative forms part of the council’s wider exploration of innovative materials and construction methods to improve road performance and long-term resilience.

On November 17, 2025, Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) and Tyrewise New Zealand (Tyrewise) announced the formation of the Trans-Tasman Tyre Recycling Alliance (TTRA), a groundbreaking regional body dedicated to advancing circular economy outcomes for end-of-life tyres across Australia and New Zealand. Jointly funded by TSA and Tyrewise, the alliance will operate as an independent entity, while both founding organisations maintain their separate national schemes. TTRA’s mission is to foster regional collaboration, drive innovation, facilitate knowledge exchange, and elevate industry standards initially across the Tasman region, with plans to expand engagement to our pacific neighbours in the near future.

The Tire Industry Project (TIP) announced the publication of a new scientific study that confirms the robustness of an improved Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) method for quantifying tire and road wear particles (TRWP) in environmental samples. Titled “Pyrolysis-GC/MS calibration for environmental quantification of tire tread: Standards and marketplace averaged elastomer subunit profiles” and published in the peer-reviewed journal Chemosphere’s September 2025 volume, the study validates a Py-GC/MS protocol that now improves accuracy and reproducibility in quantifying TRWPs in soil and sediment, even when particle composition varies by either geography or tire manufacturing method.

Germany’s end-of-life tire (ELT) circular economy is functioning, but urgently requires political support. This is demonstrated by the latest figures presented today in Frankfurt am Main by the German Rubber Manufacturers Association (wdk). According to the association, ELT collectors and recyclers continue to face declining volumes in the domestic market.

The Tire Recycling Foundation (TRF) announced the theme for the 10th Tire Recycling Conference, happening May 12-14, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. The theme, “Tread Boldly: Advancing Tire Recycling Through Collective Innovation,” reflects a growing focus and shared commitment on transforming end-of-life tire (ELT) management into a fully circular, sustainable system through bold collective action, cutting-edge research and innovation.

The Tire Recycling Foundation (TRF), in collaboration with the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA), invites you to the second webinar in our End-of-Life Tire Series: How Rubber-Modified Asphalt Delivers Cost-Savings and Longer Lasting Sustainable Roads and Pavements. Discover the path toward sustainable and high-performing roads with rubber-modified asphalt (RMA), a cutting-edge technology that transforms end-of-life tires into valuable infrastructure solutions. This webinar explores RMA’s current applications, performance data, and collaborative opportunities to accelerate adoption across the United States.

Pyrum Innovations AG announced that its partner, Thermo Lysi SA, has received funding approval from the European Innovation Fund (EIF), securing €29.4 million for their joint tire recycling project in Greece. The facility, which will process around 45,000 tonnes of end-of-life tires annually, is set to become one of Europe’s largest and most advanced pyrolysis plants. Built on Pyrum’s patented thermolysis technology, the project represents a total investment of approximately €100 million, with Pyrum planning to acquire at least a 10% equity stake in the project company.

Benji and Co, along with its Director Peter Rees, has been fined a total of £69,000 following serious breaches of environmental regulations related to tyre waste storage and disposal across several sites in mid Wales. The case was heard at Welshpool Magistrates’ Court on 14 October 2025.

In Episode 80 of The Tyre Recycling Podcast, BAFTA-winning BBC journalist Paul Kenyon joins live from the Round Trip Tyre and Conveyor Belt Recycling Summit in Melbourne. Kenyon, whose File on 4 documentary “The Tyre Scandal” uncovered the illegal export of UK end-of-life tyres to India, reflects on his investigation and insights from the summit.