News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

BIR 2023 World Recycling Convention is a three-day gathering of internationally recognized experts in recycling and sustainability, held on May (21)22 – 24 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The BIR World Recycling Convention & Exhibition in Amsterdam is set to bring the best networking and business opportunities and the latest market updates in global recycling. BIR has already announced impressive registration statistics: so far, over 750 participants from 400 companies in 50 countries have registered. Click here to see who's attending.

Waverly Carbon Management System – the UK's producer of recovered carbon black (rCB) – announced that it has achieved UKAS ISO 9001 and 14001 certification. UKAS is the National Accreditation Body for the United Kingdom appointed by government, to assess and accredit organisations that provide services including certification, testing, inspection and calibration. UKAS provides accreditation for waste management, recovery, reduction, and recycling activities to support the delivery of vital economic and environmental goals.

In his latest article, Martin von Wolfersdorf – a renown carbon black expert from Berlin – discusses the challenges faced by the recovered carbon black industry, particularly in terms of securing industry support and investment. Von Wolfersdorf notes that while the tire industry has made clear demands for tire sustainability, there could be more investment from tire and carbon black corporations to support the growth of the industry. Martin von Wolfersdorf also highlights the financial challenges faced by start-ups in the recovered carbon black industry, particularly those without an industrial operation. These companies often have more cash-burn than cash-flow, as planning and developing can be costly activities. Even pre-engineering studies required for permits can cost up to €1M. The article emphasizes that these start-ups need more equity investment to sustain their operations.

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!”.

Last year, Tyre Recycling Solutions (TRS) – an innovative tire recycling company from Switzerland – announced the official inauguration of the new TyreXol™ MMA production line at facilities of Renecal, in Guardo (Palencia, Spain). The common project between TRS and its recycling partner, Renecal, has gone further. According to Renecal, Spanish company COLLOSA has carried out the reinforcement of the LE-6517 road of the Diputación de León, in the municipality of Cabreros del Río, with a mixture type SMA 11, with a 6% endowment of bitumen and 1% Tyrexol MMA 30, with a spectacular result and great facility for manufacturing and implementation.

Apollo Tyres, the international tire manufacturer, is readying itself for sustainable mobility solutions. The company has now developed passenger vehicle tires with 75% sustainable materials. Apollo’s new sustainable product comprises many featured compounding ingredients in different components of the tires, including bio-based and recycled materials. The sustainable natural rubber, used in these tires, have been sourced from suppliers who have public commitments to sourcing and/or traceable to specific plantations, in accordance with the company’s sustainable natural rubber policy.

To create a custom tire for the brand-new concept car, the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE, Goodyear was chosen as the supplier of choice. Customization, aerodynamics, and design are at the core of the most recent partnership between Goodyear and the revived Lancia brand. Lancia Concept is the first vehicle of the new Lancia era, a 100% electric concept car that represents the vision of the brand in terms of design, interior home feeling, sustainability, electrification and technology.

The German engineering and trading company Waste Desorp GmbH of Bad-Malente and the Polish MetalERG sp.z.o.o spk of Olawa have entered into a cooperation for the joint production of compete turnkey pyrolysis systems. This laid the foundations for the establishment of the first European company for the supply of complete pyrolysis systems, which, according to Waste Desorp GmbH, guarantees the customers high quality production standards and compliance with local environmental protection measures. The company's services range from customer advice, the layout and design of the systems to the construction and delivery of the complete pyrolysis plants, including assembly, training, service and spare parts supply.

According to CBC News, Ontario’s Resource Productivity & Recovery Authority (RPRA), which oversees recycling in the province, may soon impose fines of $200,000 or more on the province's tire manufacturers. According to the agency, the five companies in Ontario that collect and recycle end-of-life tires are all not in compliance with provincial legislation. The orders allege that throughout the province, the industry is not providing enough sites that collect used tires.