News: Tire Recycling & Pyrolysis

SIGNUS and AIMPLAS have completed the first phase of the GREENFU project, which aims to develop composite materials using recycled rubber from end-of-life tires (ELTs) combined with thermoplastics. The project focuses on creating sustainable solutions for industries such as automotive and construction, leveraging the properties of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs).

As millions of tires reach the end of their usable lives each year, their disposal poses significant environmental challenges. Durable and non-biodegradable end-of-life tires (ELTs) contribute to growing landfill volumes, create fire risks, and release toxins when improperly handled. Tire pyrolysis, a process that thermally decomposes tires in an oxygen-free environment to recover valuable materials, offers a promising solution to this problem. However, in an industry facing scrutiny from regulators, investors, and consumers, proving this process's environmental and economic benefits is crucial. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has emerged as a critical tool for tire pyrolysis companies to evaluate their impact, identify efficiencies, and build credibility.

The European Tyre Recycling Association (ETRA) Conference returns to the Hotel Le Louise in March 2025, offering a platform for industry leaders to discuss advancements, challenges, and opportunities in the tire recycling sector. Featuring keynote speakers from commercial enterprises, NGOs, governments, and research institutions, the event aims to foster open dialogue on current trends and developments in the industry.

Tennessee is seeing positive results from test strips of rubber modified asphalt (RMA) on roadways in Blount County. The 3.3 miles of road in the county paved with RMA last year are demonstrating greater longevity with reduced road noise and water splash back, in addition to diverting thousands of end-of-life tires from the waste stream.

Episode 70 of The Tyre Recycling Podcast features Peter Taylor, delving into the challenges and opportunities within the UK tyre recycling industry. The discussion highlights issues such as the need for regulatory enforcement, the delays in addressing T8 legislation, and the potential impacts of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) without proper underpinning. Taylor also emphasizes the importance of addressing carbon footprints from reimported products and ensuring feedstock security for future recycling initiatives.

On November 26, Scandinavian Enviro Systems CEO Fredrik Emilson presented Enviro at Aktiespararnas investor event Stora Aktiedagarna in Stockholm. Emilson’s presentation covered, among other things, Enviro’s technology, its expansion plans and the construction of the first full-scale recycling plant which is underway outside Uddevalla, Sweden. A video of his presentation can be viewed here (Swedish only): 

On November 27, 2024, Weibold7s webinar by CM Shredders delved into the innovative features of the company's tire shredders. CM Shredders is a global leader in industrial shredders and recycling systems, with a focus on enhancing operational efficiency and lowering the cost per ton in tire recycling. The session explore CM’s patented technology and turnkey solutions designed to produce clean-cut tire-derived fuel (TDF) and wire-free crumb rubber while reducing downtime and extending equipment lifespan.

Episode 69 features Stefan Hey, Chief Executive of the NTDA. The episode explores key issues in waste tyre management and highlights critical topics such as the need for improved enforcement to combat criminality and abuse of exemptions, as well as the importance of raising professional standards in the sector.

The Australian Tyre Recyclers Association (ATRA) has raised concerns regarding the interpretation of data published by Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA), emphasizing the need for a clear understanding of the figures and their implications. “All recycling sectors have issues that need to be resolved,” said Robert Kelman, Executive Officer ATRA.