The European Rubber Journal reports that its latest Top 10 Elastomers for Sustainability ranking has added three new projects focused on improving the environmental profile of the rubber, elastomers and tire industries.

The Elastomers for Sustainability, or E4S, ranking tracks materials-science and related developments that could support sustainability, recycling and circular economy goals in the global rubber sector.

Queen Mary University London works on natural rubber circularity

One of the new entries is a project from Queen Mary University London titled Increasing the circularity of sulphur-crosslinked natural rubber.

The project focuses on the reversible disulfide bonds of cured natural rubber. According to the report, the research team has achieved promising results by adding selected inhibitors to control the reaction.

The work could contribute to future approaches for rubber recycling and the reuse of crosslinked natural rubber, a material that is traditionally difficult to recycle because of its cured structure.

Innventik develops reactor for synthetic rubber production

Another new entry comes from Innventik SL, an engineering company based in Santander, Spain.

The company has developed a compact plug-flow pre-polymerization reactor designed to help synthetic rubber producers reduce energy consumption and emissions.

According to the report, the patented reactor design may also support the production of more specialized and differentiated rubber products.

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions advances lower-carbon EPDM grades

In Sweden, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has developed two sustainable EPDM rubber grades that can deliver a reduction of up to 55% in product carbon footprint.

The materials are produced from raw polymers based on non-fossil sources. These sources include renewable ingredients such as cooking oil, straw, forestry residue and tall oil.

The new EPDM grades reflect broader industry efforts to reduce reliance on fossil-based inputs and increase the use of renewable raw materials in rubber production.

Ranking highlights sustainability innovation in elastomers

The latest E4S ranking shows continued activity across universities, engineering companies and industrial suppliers working on more sustainable elastomer materials and production technologies.

While the projects differ in scope, they share a focus on reducing environmental impact through improved circularity, lower energy consumption, reduced emissions or the use of renewable feedstocks.

Such developments may support future sustainability strategies in the rubber and tire industries, including improved rubber recycling, material recovery and lower-carbon manufacturing.

To learn more and see resources on the subject, please read the full article by the European Rubber Journal.