News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

Blue Environment estimates that local governments spent approximately A$7.513 million cleaning up illegally dumped end-of-life tires during 2024–25. The national estimate covers around 245,000 tires, producing an average clean-up cost of approximately A$31 per tire.

SIGNUS has marked its 20th anniversary by presenting a new corporate identity, a strategic plan and a revised organizational model designed to guide the next stage of end-of-life tire management in Spain. At an event in Madrid on October 16, 2026, the organization formally introduced SIGNUS Asociación, created to comply with Spain’s new regulatory framework and increase participation by affiliated tire producers in decision-making and governance. The new structure follows the requirements of Royal Decree 712/2025 and forms part of a broader shift toward greater transparency, participation, efficiency and circular economy development. SIGNUS also used the anniversary to recognize the companies, public administrations, research institutions, waste managers, workshops and other stakeholders that have supported tire collection and recycling during its first two decades, while outlining plans to strengthen collaboration, innovation and higher-value recovery of materials from end-of-life tires.

Tyre Stewardship Australia has welcomed a new Australian parliamentary inquiry into the tire industry and urged the Federal Government to implement its 12 recommendations without delay. The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation and Science tabled its report, “When the Rubber Hits the Road,” on October 15, 2026, recommending nationally harmonized rules for end-of-life tires, a staged reduction in onsite burial of mining tires, stronger support for regional and remote areas, expanded domestic markets for recycled tire materials and consideration of a mandatory national product stewardship scheme. TSA says the recommendations provide a clear pathway toward a more consistent and circular national system at a time when Australia generates around 72 million Equivalent Passenger Units of end-of-life tires annually. The organization also highlighted the Committee’s support for retreading, increased use of crumb rubber in roads, stronger government procurement and collaboration with universities and CSIRO to commercialize new tire recycling technologies.

The Tire Industry Project has reported measurable sustainability progress among its ten member companies between 2021 and 2024, including lower carbon intensity, increased use of renewable electricity, reduced water withdrawals and stronger responsible sourcing practices. The latest report, “Sustainability Driven: TIP’s Progress Towards SDGs,” tracks 16 environmental, social and governance indicators across seven pathways of the Tire Sector SDG Roadmap. TIP members reduced CO₂ intensity by 26% over the reporting period, increased renewable electricity use by 121% and cut total water withdrawals by 14%. The report also highlights continued work on tire and road wear particles and circularity, including development of an End-of-Life Tire Management Hierarchy intended to help the tire value chain and governments move toward more circular management of waste tires.

Building new recycling plants within France could retain a larger share of waste tire processing and recovered material production domestically while supporting investment in circular industrial infrastructure. Projects aim to recover secondary raw materials from waste tires.

Astutus Research has launched a new market intelligence service covering the generation, management and export of used and end-of-life tires across Europe. The platform combines a database updated twice a year with an annual report, “Tire Recovery & Recycling in Europe, 2032,” and is designed for tire manufacturers, EPR schemes, recyclers, pyrolysis developers, cement producers, investors and policymakers. According to Astutus, Europe generated approximately 4.4 million tonnes of used tires in 2025, with passenger car and light truck tires accounting for about 2.8 million tonnes, truck and bus tires 1.2 million tonnes and specialty tires roughly 0.4 million tonnes. Replacement demand generated around 92% of total used tire volumes, while vehicle scrappage contributed the remaining 8%. The service also tracks exports, treatment systems and regulatory developments, with Astutus forecasting European used tire generation to rise by almost 350,000 tonnes by 2032 to more than 4.7 million tonnes

The European Commission published its draft list of non-OECD countries eligible to receive certain non-hazardous waste from the EU in September 2026 under Regulation (EU) 2024/1157. As a general principle, exports of covered waste streams to non-OECD countries will no longer be permitted from May 21, 2027.

Boundless will host a webinar with Liberty Tire Recycling examining how lifecycle assessment can be used to quantify and substantiate the environmental benefits of recycled rubber products. The session will present a recent LCA covering four recycled-rubber products and explain how their greenhouse gas impacts were compared with the conventional materials they replace. The webinar is intended to address an important issue for tire recycling and circular economy markets: recycled content alone does not automatically demonstrate a lower carbon footprint, and environmental claims need to be supported by transparent methodology, credible baseline comparisons and data capable of withstanding external review. Millicent Poole, Sustainability Manager at Liberty Tire Recycling, will discuss how the assessment results are being used commercially, while Boundless Founder and CEO Michele Demers and Research Analyst Patrick McElroy will explain the methodology behind the calculations, including approaches to avoided emissions and auditable sustainability claims.

From AI and automation to sustainability, advanced materials, energy systems and circularity, manufacturers face mounting pressure to ensure that investment in innovation translates into productivity, resilience and profitability. The Future Tire Conference 2026 will bring together senior leaders from across the tire, automotive, materials, chemicals and equipment sectors to examine how the industry can successfully deploy and scale the technologies shaping its future.