News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

The Competitiveness Compass for the EU highlights the need for securing critical raw materials, a crucial aspect for the tire industry which relies heavily on natural rubber. The European Commission’s renewed focus on industrial resilience must include a dedicated Rubber Strategy to ensure long-term supply stability and sustainability.

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Tire Technology Expo 2025 is set to take place on March 4-6, 2025, in Hannover, Germany. Yogesh Gaikwad, a technical consultant for carbon black at Weibold, will represent Weibold at the event and deliver a presentation on March 5, 2025, covering "rCB volume update and its suitability for tire manufacturers."

A research team from the School of Chemical & Process Engineering at the University of Leeds, UK, has published a comprehensive study in the Journal of the Energy Institute (Volume 118, 2025) on the thermal decomposition of end-of-life tires (ELT) and plastics. The study investigates the potential of co-pyrolysis, a process that thermally decomposes mixed materials under oxygen-free conditions, to enhance the production of valuable products such as oil (TPO), gas, and char (raw rCB). Utilizing a laboratory-scale batch reactor, the researchers focused on a 1:1 mass ratio of tire and plastic feedstocks, examining the synergistic effects of decomposition and their impact on product quality and yield.

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.