News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

Ecolomondo Corporation is pleased to announce that it has received and began the installation of its new milling line, as planned. The Company recently received the delivery of its new milling line purchased in August 2024. The Company has been preparing for the installation of the new milling line for several months to ensure its installation would be as seamless as possible.

On January 30, Franklin Raj, pyrolysis business analyst at Weibold, participated as a panelist at the MRAI International Material Recycling Conference 2025 in Jaipur, India. Representing Weibold, he joined industry experts to discuss key developments in tire pyrolysis, recovered carbon black (rCB), and sustainable feedstocks.

Bridgestone has announced plans to construct a pilot demonstration plant for precise pyrolysis*1 of end-of-life tires at its plant in Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The plant will start operating in 2027 with an aim to realize horizontal recycling of tires. The facility will demonstrate the technology needed for establishing and optimizing precise pyrolysis of end-of-life tires, which involves obtaining tire-derived oil and recovered carbon black from end-of-life tires. In demonstrating this technology, Bridgestone aims to help accelerate the social implementation of chemical recycling technology. This project is part of the company's exploratory business for "Sowing New Seeds" in its Mid Term Business Plan (2024-2026) for sustainable growth in the future.

Michigan has halted the long-standing practice of burning scrap tires for energy, following a 2023 change in state law that removed tire-derived fuel from the list of renewable energy sources. The decision, coupled with the decline of biomass power plants, has left recyclers and policymakers searching for alternative ways to manage the state’s 10 million discarded tires annually.

Bridgestone Americas has announced plans to shut down its LaVergne, Tennessee, Truck and Bus Radial Tire Plant by July 31, 2025, as part of its broader strategy to optimize operations and reduce costs. The closure will impact approximately 700 employees.

Epsilon Carbon is expanding its sustainability efforts with plans to establish an integrated tyre recycling facility in Karnataka, set to be operational by the 2026 fiscal year. The plant will process 30,000 tonnes of end-of-life tyres annually, producing 9,500 tonnes of recovered carbon black (rCB) and 12,000 tonnes of tyre-derived oil (TDO), supporting a circular economy in the industry.

Rubber Conversion has been awarded the EcoVadis Gold Medal, placing the company in the top 5% of businesses globally assessed by EcoVadis in the past year. The rating reflects the company’s performance in environmental responsibility, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

A significant highway upgrade in Australia is set to boost road infrastructure while promoting sustainability through the use of end-of-life tyres (EOLT) in construction. The Australian government has announced a large-scale upgrade to the Bruce Highway, a major transport route connecting Brisbane to Cairns.

Swedish Tyre Recycling (SDAB) has announced that its End-of-Life Tyre Research Portal (ELTRP) now hosts over 500 reports, with ongoing updates to expand its database. The portal, accessible at www.eltrp.org, is designed to support research and provide easy access to published studies on topics such as chemical composition, material performance, environmental impact, and health considerations related to recycled tyre rubber.