News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

Stacey Davidson, director of Redisa, says the organization believes that the industry of waste management offers people means to furnish their living irrespective of their age, initial skills and level of education. Davidson says that the initiative is a great opportunity to deal with the low-skilled unemployment in the country. REDISA’s program stipulates inclusion of micro collectors into future waste collection and management plans, giving them security and recognition they deserve.

Napajedla stud farm (Czech Republic) which is 130 years old is one of the best facilities in Europe. This stud farm brought up several famous winners and it bears a number of success stories in its history. Horses which were raised at the farm won races not only in Czech Republic and Slovakia, but also showed remarkable success in competitions in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Great Britain.

Dеpаrtmеnt of Hеаlth of Wаshington Stаtе rеcеntly publishеd а rеsеаrch rеport on risks of cаncеr аmong Wаshington’s soccеr tеаms. Thе rеsеаrch intеndеd to rеspond to concеrns of cаncеr cаsеs аmong thе soccеr plаyеrs bеcаusе of plаying on synthеtic turf fiеlds. Thе soccеr coаch from thе Univеrsity of Wаshington submittеd а list of 53 formеr or currеnt rеsidеnts of Wаshington who hаd cаncеr in 2016 аnd plаyеd soccеr on аrtificiаl turf fiеlds bеforе. Howеvеr, this list without othеr еvidеncеs could not dеtеrminе whеthеr thеrе wаs а highеr cаncеr risk аmong thе plаyеrs thаn thе rаtе еxpеctеd in thе gеnеrаl populаtion of Wаshington.

This post is a summary of numerous researches and articles published by European and American research institutions. Dozens of independent researches carried out in Europe and U.S. throughout the past decade inferred that tire-derived rubber infill in the artificial turf poses no threat to human health. Researchers assert unanimously that exposure of athletes’ skin to crumb rubber infill on stadiums and playgrounds yields no elevated risk of cancer. As the issue has been assuming additional importance, it achieved the level of the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) which, together with the European Committee of Standardization, carried out comprehensive researches about crumb rubber exposure on human health.

The Intellectual Property Authority of the European Union (EUIPO) recently approved a trademark EnviroCB which belongs to the company Scandinavian Enviro Systems. Enviro is the first company in the world which commenced supplying recycled carbon black (rCB) to the premium segment of automotive industry. Now that the trademark has been registered, Enviro has a chance to deliver rCB to other markets and industries to substitute virgin carbon black.

On the day when the incident happened, the seventeen-year-old employee standing on the trailer saw that a long piece of rubber stuck in the out-feed. Therefore, he signaled the controller to reverse the shredder. Feeding the piece of rubber back into the shredder with his right hand, he held the side of the out-feed with the left hand. Unfortunately, rubber piece was pulled into the shredder swiftly and worker’s right hand was pulled with it. All fingers of his right hand we amputated by the shredder whereas his right thumb proved unsalvageable after a surgery which aimed to reattach it.

Good news came from the answer to the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) from the Portuguese team members of the CEN/TC 366, department responsible for the standardization of recycled materials obtained from end-of-life tires (ELT) of European Committee of Standardization, on how crumb rubber affects human health.

Recently, a joint venture was formed by Pyrolyx AG from Munich, Germany and Reklaim, Inc. based in Seattle, USA. New JV is going to focus at the tire-derived carbon black recovery and will operate in North America. German Pyrolyx AG owns 81% of Pyrolyx USA, Inc. At new facilities throughout North America, the JV will use manufacturing process from the German parent company. Moreover, Pyrolyx USA will be run by German top management. Location of facilities and the volume of investment are not disclosed yet. The company will recover carbon black (rCB) from end-of-life tires and rubber. Reportedly, the company is going to suggest a sustainable and cost-effective substitute to original carbon black which will be well-suited for numerous rubber and plastics applications, including even tire compounders. Three days later from the JV announcement, European Rubber Journal reported that Thorsten Gohlke, The chairman of Pyrolyx AG‘s supervisory board, was going to step down at the next annual general meeting of the company for personal reasons. The date for the next annual general meeting has not yet been given, but the last meeting was held in August 2016.

After a long time of demands for a comprehensive forensic audit by the organization which oversees recycling in Ontario and a threat of a court order, the stewardship invited Ernst & Young for an audit. The auditors will thoroughly investigate the possible fraud in the supply chain.