News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

Pirelli introduces a distinctive logo identifying tires containing over 50% bio-based and recycled materials. Applied to the P Zero E line, boasting over 55% sustainable materials, the logo emphasizes Pirelli's environmental commitment. Third-party verification of eco-compatible materials will be standard for all future products featuring the logo. Pirelli aims for 60% bio-based and 12% recycled materials in selected lines by 2030.

The Scrap Tire Research and Education Foundation, Inc. (STREF), and the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) to host the 9th Tire Recycling Conference on May 15th - 17th, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. As the scrap tire industry’s premier market development and emerging trends conference, the 9th Tire Recycling Conference offers a valuable opportunity for industry leaders, regulators, and stakeholders to review key developments in scrap tire management.

EuRIC, the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation, has issued a roadmap for boosting waste recycling and fostering a clear regulatory framework. The paper reflects EuRIC’s unwavering commitment to advancing sustainability within the recycling industry, with a particular focus on exploring the areas of chemical recycling and mass balance. To enhance resource efficiency and sustainability, EuRIC:

Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA) has published its 2022/23 Annual Report. The annual report showcases some of the major achievements of Australia's Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme and how it must pave the way for a circular economy for end-of-life tires. In brief, Australia’s major achievements are:

As we announced in our previous article, Franklin Raj, the pyrolysis business analyst, and Yogesh Gaikwad, technical consultant for carbon black, participated in the Workshop on End-of-Life Tires (ELT) Management in India on behalf of Weibold’s team. Our experts made a presentation on “Material and Energy Recovery and the Latest Innovations in ELT Recycling Technologies”.

Signus Ecovalor engages in eco-friendly tire recycling by converting ELT textile fibers into BHET using high-temperature, high-pressure ethylene glycol. Yet, efficiency faces challenges when contaminants like rubber are present. Pure PET textiles achieve an 85% efficiency, while contaminated tire textiles reach only 20-30%.

According to the article by Tyre and Rubber Recycling magazine, the T8 Exemption, originally designed to support small businesses in the UK tire recycling sector, has been misused and abused, leading to negative impacts on legitimate, permitted recycling businesses. The article highlights that the T8 Exemption allows operators to store and handle large quantities of tires without proper oversight, leading to uncontrolled exports of tires, which undermines recycling efforts and environmental regulations.

On September 25, the European Commission has introduced a ban on crumb rubber infill, coinciding with the ban on intentionally added microplastics. This move addresses concerns about the use of crumb rubber in sports fields, which initially centered on the PAH content. Research revealed elevated PAH levels, even after reductions, prompting further investigation. The European Chemicals Agency's Risk Assessment Committee expanded the definition of microplastics to include any polymer under 5mm, encompassing most crumb rubber infill.

With the support of the Metropolitan City of Turin an international workshop on rubberized asphalt will be held on 28 September 2023, from 16.00 to 18.30, in Corso Inghilterra 7, Turin. The workshop will give a clear and updated picture of the limits and opportunities of the use of Rubberised Asphalt in Europe.