News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

Ecopneus has received the Technological Innovation award at the 20th edition of the Premio ASI Sport & Cultura, held on 20 December 2025 at the Salone d’Onore of CONI in Rome. The award recognises Ecopneus’ long-term work in developing and promoting recycled rubber applications across sports, urban infrastructure and other public uses.

In Episode 83, Scott Gerber, Program Director of the Better Play Initiative (BPI), discusses the organisation’s work on the safe and sustainable use of recycled rubber in sports and playground surfaces. He outlines key findings from independent and government studies, including research from the EPA and CalEPA, which have not identified significant health risks associated with crumb rubber infill.

As 2026 approaches, we would like to thank you for being part of our journey and wish you a year marked by progress, stability, and good health. The tire recycling and pyrolysis landscape continues to evolve — shaped by new regulations, advancing technologies, and growing expectations around circularity and sustainability.

Birla Carbon, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality carbon materials, has been awarded a Platinum level rating by EcoVadis. The recognition places Birla Carbon among the top 1% of companies globally evaluated by EcoVadis and reflects the company’s continued leadership in embedding sustainability across its operations, innovation, and value chain.

In Episode 85 of The Tyre Recycling Podcast, Tommaso Verri of RubberJet Group discusses the company’s high-pressure water-jetting technology, presented during the Round Trip Tyre and Conveyor Belt Recycling Summit in Melbourne. The process uses kinetic energy to delaminate tyres, producing wire-free, high-surface-area rubber powder as an alternative to conventional ambient shredding.

According to local media reports, waste management infrastructure in Fiji has advanced with the commissioning of the country’s first pyrolysis processing plant, developed by Golden Manufacturers in Wainadoi. The project, with an investment of approximately USD 10 million, is designed to convert plastic waste and end-of-life tyres (ELTs) into fuel products as an alternative to landfill disposal.

Continental has been re-elected as Co-Chair of the Tire Industry Project (TIP) until 2029. Continental will continue to contribute resources and its long-standing expertise, especially in the areas of tire and road wear particles, end-of-life tires, sustainability assessment methods, and supply chain transparency. TIP is the global tire industry's central forum for sustainability issues. As one of the founding members of TIP, Continental has been working with other leading global tire manufacturers since 2005 to address overarching environmental and sustainability issues affecting the tire industry.

Tegeta Motors and Bandag, a subsidiary of Bridgestone, have signed an agreement to establish the first Bandag tyre retreading facility in the Caucasus region. The new plant, to be located in Rustavi, Georgia, will introduce Bandag’s retreading technology for truck and bus tyres, marking a significant expansion of circular tyre solutions in the region.

Recent updates from the AZuR network point to continued momentum in the development of Europe’s circular tyre economy, with a focus on tire recycling technologies, infrastructure applications, and international knowledge exchange.