Tyrecycle and Fenner Conveyors have won the Closing the Loop Award at the 2026 WasteSorted WA Awards for their InfinitySeries partnership, which converts end-of-life mining conveyor belts into material for new conveyor belts. The initiative has already diverted more than 4,000 tonnes of used conveyor belts from landfill, with recovered material incorporated into Fenner’s InfinitySeries products at a minimum recycled content of 10%. The project demonstrates a closed-loop approach to a difficult industrial waste stream that has traditionally had limited alternatives to landfill or long-term stockpiling. By recovering rubber and other materials from used conveyor belts and returning them to manufacturing, the partnership supports circular economy objectives in Australia’s mining sector and shows how industrial recycling can move beyond disposal toward direct material reuse in new products.

More than 4,000 tonnes diverted from landfill

Tyrecycle said the InfinitySeries partnership has so far diverted more than 4,000 tonnes of end-of-life conveyor belts from landfill. The recovered material is processed and returned to Fenner Conveyors for use in new belt production, creating a belt-to-belt circular system.

The project targets a waste stream that can be difficult to manage because mining conveyor belts are large, heavy and made from complex combinations of rubber, steel and reinforcement materials. Historically, many end-of-life belts have had limited recycling options and have instead been stockpiled or landfilled.

InfinitySeries contains at least 10% recycled material

Fenner’s InfinitySeries conveyor belts contain a minimum of 10% recycled content derived from locally recovered conveyor belts. Tyrecycle processes the end-of-life material and recovers usable components that can be fed back into manufacturing.

The use of recycled material in new belts helps reduce demand for virgin resources while creating a local end market for material recovered from mining and industrial waste. It also gives mining operators a clearer circular pathway for used conveyor belts.

Project creates a closed-loop recycling model

The partnership is designed around a closed-loop recycling model in which material from end-of-life conveyor belts returns to the same product category. This differs from lower-value recovery routes where materials are used in unrelated applications or sent for energy recovery.

Closed-loop systems can retain more material value by keeping recovered rubber and reinforcement components within industrial supply chains. For mining companies, they can also support waste reduction, recycled-content targets and broader decarbonization strategies.

Tyrecycle expands circular solutions for mining waste

Tyrecycle has been expanding its recycling activities for difficult mining waste streams, including off-the-road tires and conveyor belts. These materials pose significant logistical and processing challenges because of their size, construction and the remote locations where they are commonly generated.

The company processes conveyor belts by sorting and separating rubber, steel and other components. Recovered rubber can then be granulated or crumbed, while steel is reclaimed for reuse in manufacturing and other applications.

Partnership builds on Western Australian recycling infrastructure

The InfinitySeries was launched earlier in 2026 through Fenner Conveyors’ K-MIX Materials Innovation Hub in Kwinana, Western Australia. Tyrecycle’s East Rockingham facility supports the recycling process by handling used conveyor belts as well as off-the-road and passenger tires.

The regional manufacturing and recycling arrangement creates a local material loop in Western Australia, allowing mining waste to be processed and returned to domestic industrial supply chains rather than being treated solely as a disposal problem.

Award highlights cooperation between recycler and manufacturer

Tyrecycle said the WasteSorted WA Award demonstrates what can be achieved when recyclers, manufacturers and industrial customers work together on material recovery. The partnership combines collection and processing capability with a manufacturer capable of incorporating recovered material into new products.

This type of cooperation is important for circular economy projects because recycling capacity alone does not create a sustainable market. Recovered material also needs technically suitable, commercially viable end uses that can absorb meaningful volumes.

Mining sector looks for alternatives to stockpiling and landfill

Mining operations generate substantial quantities of difficult-to-recycle waste, including conveyor belts and large off-the-road tires. Developing local recycling and reuse markets can reduce dependence on stockpiling and landfill while recovering rubber, steel and other valuable materials.

The InfinitySeries project illustrates how circular manufacturing can be applied to complex mining waste streams. By converting used belts into raw material for new belts, Tyrecycle and Fenner Conveyors are demonstrating a model that links industrial recycling directly with new product manufacturing.

Information source: Tyrecycle.