Nokian the first tyre manufacturer to offer “greener” tyre bags

Nokian Tyres is changing its tyre bags to more environmentally friendly ones. Producing bags partially from biomaterial reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 75 per cent compared to making bags from virgin or recycled plastic.

“As a group, we want to be the industry forerunner in sustainability and to consider the issues involved throughout the life cycle of a tyre, from raw materials and manufacturing to the proper recycling of tyres. Producing tyre bags from more environmentally friendly materials is part of this,” says Marko Mäkelä, Head of Sales at Nokian Tyres in Finland.

About 40,000 kg of plastic have been used per year for Nokian Tyres’ tyre bags in Finland, Sweden and Norway. The production of the newly introduced Green PE + LDPE tyre bags produces about 20.02 tonnes of carbon dioxide, while the production of bags from virgin plastic produces about 88 tonnes and from recycled plastics about 44 tonnes.

“I’m Green” label indicates more environmentally friendly raw materials

Using bio-based sugarcane ethylene as a one of the raw materials has enabled the reduction of emissions. Sugarcane has already absorbed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during its growth phase, thus reducing the final emissions from the production of the bags.

Tyre bags have been granted the “I’m Green” label for their environmental friendliness. Nokian Tyres is the first tyre manufacturer in the world to offer tyre bags carrying the label.

The “I’m Green” label is the property of the petrochemical company Braskem and its use is strictly controlled and regulated. To qualify for the label, more than 50 per cent of the raw materials in the product recipe must be Green PE. Of the bags that Nokian Tyres uses, Green PE accounts for 55 per cent of raw materials.