News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

Despite all announcements about rising prices for new tires, French used tire collection and management company Aliapur exhibits stability and succeeds on the tire recycling arena. According to a statement of the company, “eco-contribution” will remain the same for all tire categories. Thus, the levy remains to be EUR 1.25 for all passenger car tires which add up to some two thirds of the total annual volume of collection. Due to this decision, the levy will remain untouched and will be maintained at the level of the last two years. In fact, this means a persistent decline in contributions for over ten years. Aliapur reckons that this fact reflects the degree of efficiency of how tire recycling in France is structured. Albeit, Aliapur is ready for further optimization: namely in some areas between collection in skips and manual collection, as well as alternative means to recycle end-of-life tires.

This January, ferrous scrap prices rose up again. Last two month before the new year the price had been going up and January follows the same trend – the price has been bouncing back from a steep and unexpected drop that affected ferrous scrap in September and October of the last year.American Metal Market (AMM) indicates in their price surveys and indices that the most popular ferrous scrap grades’ prices appreciated from some USD 35 to USD 40 per ton in the beginning of January. In November 2016, Midwest Index prices appreciated up to USD 25 per ton and in December 2016 they went up to USD 45 per ton. In the beginning of 2017, export price climbed up less vigorously, according to the survey by AMM. Grades of heavy melting steel (HMS) purchased by brokers from overseas and foreign mill buyers increased by less than USD 12 per ton on the West Coast and by some USD 18 per ton on the East Coast.

Industry officials in India told Reuters that natural rubber output is expected to increase 15 percent during 2017-2018. This is expected to be the highest price in almost 4 years. Also, higher prices make farmers commence using trees abandoned before. Notwithstanding, natural rubber price rally appears to be bad news for tire manufacturers as it cuts down profits. And to stay afloat, the businesses may pass those hits on to customers.

Recently, University of Nottingham and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) carried out a research aimed at improving rheometry of crumb rubber. Davide Lo Presti, Senior Scientist and International research Project manager at University of Nottingham reports results in his article “Improving rheometry of crumb rubber modified bitumen: a testing geometry tailored for simultaneous low-shear mixing and measurements”.

95% of Australia’s tire recycling and the bulk of crumb rubber production for sports fields, playgrounds and civil engineering are covered by ATRA’s members. Every year, Australia produces some 50 million used tires and almost half of them – 23 million – are available for recycling. Members of ATRA process some 20.5 million of that number, whereas the remainder is kept at stockpiles: baled and ready for shipment. In fact, bales cause biosecurity and environmental risks for receiving countries. OTR tires are also kept within the country. In contrast to any other type of ELT, mining tires are usually buried onsite. However, there are numerous opportunities for them to be reprocessed.

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.