News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association – ETRMA – has consolidated data on the management of End of Life Tires for 2019 covering 32 European countries (EU27, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey and UK). According to ETRMA, 94% of end-of-life tires in the 32 countries were collected and treated for material recycling and energy recovery. ETRMA says this situation is quite comparable to the previous years with tire recycling rates fluctuating between 92% and 95%. The European tire industry is committed to an innovative and sustainable economy. End-of-life tires are collected and their treatment is organized across European countries, the vast majority operating under EPR. Secondary raw materials from end-of-life tires are important resources for industries such as construction, automotive and cement.

In 2021, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is continuing undertaking efforts to ban crumb rubber – recycled rubber granulate from shredded end-of-life tires – from artificial turf and playgrounds. ECHA’s intent to restrict the use of crumb rubber started back in 2019 when the organization, allegedly, found a scientific evidence against the use of recycled tire rubber in synthetic turf. Despite ECHA’s assertions, there hasn’t been a single scientific proof of human health risks caused by crumb rubber in other studies and research carried out by numerous research institutions worldwide.

On April 28, 2021, EFG Polymers – a manufacturer of engineered elastomers from the United States – announced that it became completely sustainable. EFG Polymers, a resource recovery company, announces today that it has achieved over 100% sustainability by re-engineering rubber waste and producing new valuable elastomers with no emissions, waste, or by-products. Reusing thermoset rubber waste and returning the resources to new rubber products reduces the collective dependence on virgin resources and can assist the vital rubber industry in improving its sustainability. To learn more about EFG Polymers’ sustainability efforts, please proceed here.

EcoTech Recycling’s patented thermodynamic process turns waste rubber into a nontoxic synthetic material for new tires, auto parts and insulation. The company produces the Active Rubber (AR), from end-of-life tires. “AR is a substitute for synthetic rubber that can be used to make new tires, automotive parts or an inner wall and flooring insulation called ECOINSUL that we developed ourselves.”

Dubbed as “a must-attend event for those with an interest in the rCB sector”, the Recovered Carbon Black Workshop is organized by Martin von Wolfersdoff – a renowned consultant in the field of carbon black – and Smithers. The online event is scheduled for June 3, 2021 (1pm BST / 2pm CEST / 8am EDT). The official workshop name is “Recovered Carbon Black Online Workshop: Increasing rCB volume in the tire supply chain - challenges and opportunities”. The workshop will be led Martin von Wolfersdorff and will provide an exclusive opportunity for the entire value chain to find out more about and discuss the following topics:

MotoE is a racing series for electric motorcycles that is being held for the third year. Michelin is the supplier of tires to the race participants and, ahead of this year’s season, has produced a tire that has significantly less environmental impact due to its high content of recycled materials, including recovered carbon black supplied by Enviro. According to Michelin, tests during the spring showed that the new and more sustainable tires contribute to shorter lap times, while they also heat up more quickly, with improved grip as a result.

According to Budapest Business Journal, Hungary's Hot & Cold Therm (HCT), a company engaging in planning and installation of technical building systems, has developed machinery that uses high-pressure water jet technology to recycle end-of-life tires. The Journal quotes Hungarian state news wire MTI as the source of the information. HCT said the €1 million project was partly supported by the European Union grant. According to the Journal, HCT’s managing director Zoltán Benkő told MTI that the company, based in Tiszalök (184 km northeast of Budapest), has set up a pilot plant that can turn out up to 500 tons of granulate from recycled tires a year. The process, which involves the recovery of end-of-life tire rubber, is completed at room temperature in a closed, circular process, he added.

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This article is a review by Claus Lamer, a Co-Founder at Carbon Recovery GmbH. Weibold’s Academy article series discusses periodically the practical developments and scientific research findings in the end-of-life tire (ELT) recycling and pyrolysis industry. One of the goals is to give entrepreneurs in this industry, project initiators, investors and also the public, a better insight into a rapidly growing circular economy. At the same time, this article series should also be a stimulus for discussion.