News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

With Liberty's access to tires and Bolder's technology and customer pipeline, the partnership is expected to make a meaningful impact across the globe. This November, Bolder Industries, Inc. (Bolder), a pioneer in converting end-of-life tires into sustainable carbon black (BolderBlack®), petrochemicals (BolderOilTM), steel (BolderSteelTM), and power, announced a new partnership with Liberty Tire Recycling (or "Liberty"), one of the leading providers of tire recycling services in North America. Bolder’s press release says these two world leaders in end-of-life tire solutions join forces to provide immediate circular solutions and sustainable raw materials to rubber, plastic, and petrochemical businesses.

Continental is breaking new ground in the development of sustainable material solutions: For the second time this year, the Hanover-based technology company has joined forces with the Berlin-based innovation network for advanced materials (INAM) to launch the Continental Challenge for start-ups and university institutes. Continental’s advanced materials and innovation experts hope to generate new ideas for the production and recycling of rubber and plastic products. The challenge is one of the numerous initiatives launched by the company as part of its sustainability roadmap in its anniversary year 2021.

The German AZuR (Allianz Zukunft Reifen – “German Tyre Future”) – an organization engaging in the design of end-of-life tire management practices – has initiated a study on end-of-life tires in the country. From retreading to tire pyrolysis, the research by AZuR will examine at different components of end-of-life tire value chain, including tire collection and recycling. The goal is to discover the actual facts pertaining to the reality of waste tire management.

Econeu is a novel collective waste management solution for tires that have reached the end of their useful life, launched in Chile. Econeu SpA was formed by a group of 26 Chilean tire and vehicle importing companies with the goal of implementing and developing a collective end-of-life tire management system that will allow tire manufacturers to comply with the EPR Law (No. 20,920) and the Ministry of the Environment's Supreme Decree No. 8, which establishes end-of-life tire collection and recycling goals, as well as other obligations associated with this end-of-life tires.

Ecopneus – Italian end-of-life tire (ELT) management organization – plans to raise tire dealer collections by up to 20%. This is in reaction to a message sent to Italy's EPR agencies by the Directorate General for the Circular Economy. The increase is in accordance with a directive that took effect on December 11, 2020. "The objective is to stem the critical situation, on which we will immediately contribute our active contribution," said Federico Dossena, Ecopneus General Manager. "However, it is vital to get to work on tracking and controls in order to provide structural answers."

A press release by Greater Wellington Regional Council from November 4, 2021 says Kevin Anderson and his company Combined Projects (2016) Limited have been convicted and fined for the illegal disposal of waste tires at a Castlepoint property in Wairarapa. Greater Wellington Regional Council laid four charges against Mr Anderson and his company in 2019 for offending that occurred early that year. This included breaching an abatement notice issued by the council to stop further illegal disposal of tires.

Roads & Infrastructure Australia – an online magazine devoted to pavement systems and construction in the country – recently highlighted that Australia’s waste problem has been improving with recycled road construction – rubberized asphalt from recycled tires in particular. In an article from November 4, the magazine writes: “Recycled road base uses a range of different materials to create an alternative asphalt mix. These materials can include: crushed concrete, recycled asphalt, plastic bags, recycled plastics, printer waste toner and cartridges, glass, and crumb rubber (recycled end-of-life tires).

Ecolomondo – a Canadian end-of-life tire pyrolysis company – reports in its press release that the new agreement will provide 30,000+ tons of tire feedstock and $3.4 million tipping and handling revenue to Hawkesbury recycling facility as it prepares for lunch. Ecolomondo Corporation is a cleantech company commercializing its proprietary Thermal Decomposition Process (“TDP”) recycling technology and turnkey TDP facilities used to transform tires, plastics and other hydrocarbon waste streams into saleable renewable commodities. Ecolomondo is pleased to announce it has entered into a long-term supply agreement (the “Agreement”) with Recyc-Quebec to have over 31,000 short tons of end-of-life-tire (ELT) feedstock (approximately 80% passenger tires / 20% truck tires) delivered to the Company’s flagship Hawkesbury TDP recycling facility.

In its press release from November 4, Tyrewise – a company researching and designing solutions for end-of-life tire management – says that Illegally stored stockpiles of end-of-life tires on fire or tires dumped in waterways will become a thing of the past for Aotearoa New Zealand as the Government announces the final step in the creation of a New Zealand-first solution for end-of-life tires and the proposed regulation that will be required to ensure everyone plays their part. This came on November 4, 2021 as New Zealand’s Environment Minister David Parker announced the accreditation of the Tyrewise regulated product stewardship scheme – the first regulated stewardship scheme to be accredited in New Zealand.