News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, and InnoVent Renewables, a leader in sustainable tire recycling, today announced the signing of a master cooperation agreement (MCA) to jointly license and deploy InnoVent's proprietary continuous tire pyrolysis technology worldwide.

Weibold welcomes the renewed step by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to seek public comment on removing the reference to “pyrolysis/combustion units” from the definition of “municipal waste combustion unit” in the Other Solid Waste Incineration (OSWI) framework.

The European Commission’s December 2025 Environment Omnibus package is not a complete solution for the recycling industry, but it is an important signal of direction. For companies active in end-of-life tire (ELT) recycling, plastic recycling, pyrolysis, recovered carbon black (rCB), and pyrolysis oil upgrading, the package is best understood as a first-step competitiveness reform: it promises faster procedures, lower administrative burden, and a clearer policy bridge toward the Circular Economy Act expected in 2026.

Under the proposed “zero-tolerance” framework, the agency could be given powers derived from the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) and the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA). This would enable earlier intervention, stronger investigative reach, and—critically—the ability to target the financial structures underpinning organised waste crime.

At the beginning of the year, ARJES – recycling equipment manufacturer from Germany – announced a new partnership with the Spanish company Hispano Japonesa de Maquinaria (HJM). With more than 20 years of experience in the sector, HJM is a well-established and respected player in the market. As ARJES’ exclusive sales and service partner in Spain, HJM stands for stability, reliability and a clear, value-driven corporate philosophy. Its family-oriented approach, in which employees and customers are regarded as part of one large family, closely aligns with ARJES’ own corporate values.

The tyres, which had accumulated over several years, posed a significant environmental and public health risk, with potential impacts on soil, water, and local communities. Despite challenging terrain, the site was cleared within days using company resources and in full compliance with safety and environmental regulations. All collected tyres are set to be recycled in line with technical standards.

Launched in 2023 as the first open, searchable platform dedicated to tyre recycling research, ELTRP brings together international studies covering both material performance and the environmental and health impacts of recycled tyre applications. With a growing database now exceeding 600 research articles, the platform has become an increasingly important resource for researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals.

As recovered carbon black (rCB) gains importance as a key output from tire pyrolysis, Netzsch Group is positioning its technology to support producers in upgrading pyrolysis char into high-performance materials. In Episode 90 of the Tyre and Rubber Recycling Podcast, Andreas Steinlage, Senior Business Development Manager at Netzsch, outlined how the company’s grinding, classification, and processing systems are increasingly being deployed across the tire recycling value chain.

The Rubberized Asphalt Foundation (RAF) has strengthened its position as a global driver of sustainable infrastructure by acting as a strategic partner at the Georgia Rubberized Asphalt Summit (GRAS 2026), held in Tbilisi. Hosted by Tegeta Green Planet in collaboration with Wasteless, the event brought together policymakers, engineers, and industry leaders to accelerate adoption of rubberized asphalt in emerging markets, particularly across the Caucasus.