News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

Bridgestone Corporation recently announced that it has commenced the production of tire derived oil and recovered carbon black through pyrolysis of used tires using test units installed at Bridgestone Innovation Park in Kodaira City, Tokyo. This initiative is aimed at promoting the social implementation of chemical recycling technologies that enable precise pyrolysis of used tires. The scope of this initiative is indicated by the red frame in the chemical recycling diagram below. This project is one of two R&D projects that are part of an initiative for developing chemical product manufacturing technologies utilizing used tires promoted by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan

Contec S.A. – a company that specializes in producing sustainable raw materials by upcycling end-of-life tires – has successfully secured a total of EUR 15 million in funding this year. The largest Polish manufacturer of steel roofing and facades – Pruszyński – has contributed an additional EUR 5 million to the funds already provided by VINCI and the Warsaw Equity Group. These two entities had initially invested EUR 10 million in Contec back in March 2023. The investment will be used to triple the capacity of Contec’s current facility in Szczecin, Poland, and to position the company for the construction of several new commercial plants across Europe. This will support Contec's mission to accelerate the transformation of the manufacturing industry toward carbon neutrality.

Prism Worldwide (Prism) – a clean technology company – recently announced the commercial availability of AncoraTM C-1000 Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE). Based on Prism’s patented technology, Ancora™ C-1000 contains a minimum of 50% post-consumer recycle content derived from end-of-life tires while maintaining the look, feel and processing of a typical petrochemically derived TPE. Ancora TPEs are a new class of TPE compounds utilizing polymers derived from end-of-life tires manufactured with Prism Worldwide’s patented PrismTM process.

Episode 51 of the Tyre Recycling Podcast features Patrick Buder, Sustainability Strategy Manager at Zeppelin Systems GmbH. In this podcast, Ewan Scott interviews Zeppelin representative to discuss their groundbreaking initiative: the Sustainable Tire Alliance. Discover how this collaboration is transforming the tyre recycling industry, fostering cross-sector partnerships, and driving sustainability. Learn about their goals, strategies, and the future of tyre recycling.

According to the latest press release by Audi Hungaria Zrt., as a result of the company’s collaboration with New Energy Kft., from now on, tire waste generated at the site of Audi Hungaria in Győr will be chemically recycled, thereby avoiding the release of microplastics and the hazardous substances that leach from them into the environment during recovery. The process used for this is pyrolysis, in which tire waste is chemically converted into oil. The oil produced is used by petrochemical companies to produce new plastics, while the resulting recovered carbon black (rCB) is utilized in tire production. The gases produced during pyrolysis are used to generate the high temperatures needed for the process.

Scandinavian Enviro Systems’ (Enviro) major shareholder Michelin has developed a racing tire for this year's edition of the Le Mans 24-hour race that contains a full 63% sustainable materials, including recovered carbon black (rCB) from Enviro's plant in Åsensbruk, Sweden. The tire was used on one of the cars taking part in the famous race's 100th anniversary. For 25 consecutive years, from 1998 to 2022, Michelin tires have been fitted to the winning cars. For this year's edition, which took place between June 10 and 11, Michelin has developed a racing tire that contains a whopping 63% envaironmentally sustainable materials, including recovered carbon black from Enviro.

In Episode 50, the Tyre Recycling Podcast brings an enlightening interview with Federico Dossena, the Managing Director of Ecopneus. The focus in this episode revolves around the potential ban on microplastics and its implications for the Italian market. Join the speakers as they delve into a thought-provoking discussion on the far-reaching consequences of such a ban, exploring the challenges and opportunities it presents to tyre recycling and sustainable practices.

In his recent article, Patrick Buder, Sustainability Strategy Manager at Zeppelin Systems GmbH, explains the company's approach to sustainable end-of-life tire recycling. Zeppelin Systems has been working with the tire industry for over 40 years and aims to achieve efficient material handling and environmentally friendly operations through their solution architecture. They have developed a new process in collaboration with project partners from various industrial sectors to create high-quality recyclates that can be reintroduced into the material cycle.

When end-of-life tires reach the end of their life cycle, they become hazardous for the environment and human health if they are dumped in landfills. Made of synthetic rubber, chemicals, and additives, these tires contaminate water and land, pose a high risk of fire, generate harmful gases when burned, and serve as breeding grounds for insect-borne epidemics. These concerns are particularly relevant in Mexico, where an estimated 32 million tires are discarded annually, equivalent to one tire per second. Unfortunately, only 12% of these tires are recycled, with the majority ending up in landfills.