Sustainability: ZC Rubber setting up tyre pyrolysis, recycling facilities

ZC Rubber claims to have been the first tyre company in China to recycle, reuse and repurpose its products, beginning its journey in 2005 with the establishment of its Recycling Technology and Service Center. The manufacturer is expanding its circular economy activities in 2022 with a new 5,000 tonne per annum tyre pyrolysis processing line as well as a Zhongce Recycling Technology production line that can produce 7,500 tonnes of liquid recycled rubber a year.

According to ZC Rubber, this liquid recycled rubber can replace more than 98 per cent of the standard, pollutant-prone processing aids in the rubber compound production process. Using liquid recycled rubber can significantly improve compound quality and increase tyre life, the manufacturer adds.

Through a partnership with Zhejiang University, ZC Rubber is developing a circular recycling supply chain to convert end-of-life tyres into high-quality raw materials such as carbon black, pyrolysis oil, gas and steel. Within Zhongce Recycling Technology, pyrolysis oil can be used as a fuel oil for producing carbon black. After thorough processing, pyrolysis carbon black can also be utilised in place of conventional carbon black. Pyrolysis gas can also serve as a fuel to generate electricity.

“ZC Rubber is developing innovative solutions today to address economic, environmental, and social development challenges. To encourage a more sustainable future, we are making considerable investments in recycling technologies and smart production.” comments ZC Rubber in a statement.

New heights for tyre sustainability

The manufacturer established Zhongce Recycling Technology Co., Ltd in 2009 to “take tyre sustainability to new heights.” Through this operation, ZC Rubber has collaborated with Chinese and international research institutions to develop a more sustainable tyre supply chain that minimises the environmental impact of tyres throughout their lifespan.

During the past 17 years, ZC Rubber has recycled 400,000 tonnes of end-of-life tyres, a quantity equivalent to 1.7 million tyres. By doing so, it has cut carbon emissions by a total of 510,000 tonnes – the equivalent of planting 27.87 million trees.

Two years ago, ZC Rubber inaugurated the world’s first automatic reclaimed rubber production line. This facility, established in collaboration with Nanjing Lvjinren Rubber & Plastic High-tech Co., has the capacity to produce 20,000 tonnes of reclaimed rubber a year. Thanks to the use of “cutting-edge machinery” and an “internationally recognised process,” the rubber is reclaimed without emissions or water wastage. In addition, ZC Rubber reports that the process requires at least 20 per cent less energy to produce each tonne of reclaimed rubber than conventional methods.

“With the aim for carbon neutrality in manufacturing and to continue reducing its environmental impact, ZC Rubber will keep pushing forward sustainability in the years to come,” concludes the company.