A scientific study conducted by researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute highlights the CO2 savings the pyrolysis process offers over conventional means of tyre recycling. Titled ‘A comparative life cycle assessment of tyre recycling using pyrolysis compared to conventional end-of-life pathways’, the study contrasts Pyrum Innovations’ pyrolysis process against three other end-of-life tyre disposal methods.
WMG at the University of Warwick in Coventry and Canada’s University of Victoria are the joint recipients of the inaugural Synthos Rubber Circularity Award, an international competition launched earlier this year to encourage cutting-edge ideas and solutions that significantly improve the environmental performance of synthetic rubber-based tyre compounds. Announcing the winners, Synthos states that the researchers impressed with their “breakthrough technology research concept” but did not elaborate on their work.
Recycling company Remondis Group recently signed a letter of intent with Pyrum Innovations. The partners intend to set up a plant for reclaiming raw materials from end-of-life tyres on a site in Bremen, Germany that’s owned by Weserport, a subsidiary of Remondis sister company Rhenus. This plant will be capable of recycling 20,000 tonnes of tyres annually.
Pyrum Innovations has produced the first batch of pyrolysis oil in one of the two new reactors it has installed at its main facility in Germany. Although the Pyrum team has only made “small quantities” of oil so far, this marks a further step towards volume production.
Following on from their call to action at the 2021 Smithers rCB conference, Bridgestone Corporation and Michelin Group have updated progress on their goal of increasing recovered carbon black (rCB) utilisation in tyre production. A joint technical white paper, titled Bridgestone & Michelin: Recovered Carbon Black Guidelines, shares the results of their work with other stakeholders to develop a global standard to this end.
Capacity at Pyrum Innovations AG’s main plant in Dillingen/Saar, Germany will soon increase following the successful warm commissioning of the site’s two new pyrolysis reactors. With licensing authorities having given the green light for production to start, Pyrum will soon begin recovering oil from end-of-life tyres within Reactors 2 & 3.
The inaugural meeting of the Tire-to-Tire Circular Economy Model consortium took place at Hankook Tire & Technology’s Technodome facility in Daejeon, South Korea on 1 November. The Hankook Tire-initiated consortium aims to create a sustainable business model for end-of-life tyres in Korea by “designing innovative upcycling processes” for turning them into new tyres.
Polish end-of-life-tyre (ELT) recycler ReOil is increasing its pyrolysis activities in Bukowno and has contracted Zeppelin Systems to build a second plant there. Construction is scheduled to start in February 2024 and when completed the new plant will treble plant capacity at the 11-hectare (27-acre) site to around 60,000 tonnes of ELTs annually. Zeppelin Systems intends to provide solutions it can later offer as part of license arrangements.
A new collaboration between The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and California-based bioengineering firm Visolis will lead to the production of isoprene through the upcycling of biobased materials. This collaboration, which Goodyear announced yesterday, is supported by a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant awarded to Visolis earlier this year.
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has validated Goodyear’s near-term and net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets. SBTi evaluated the tyre maker’s Scope 1 and Scope 2 near-term target ambition and determined this to be “in line with a trajectory of limiting warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.” The SBTi team also evaluated the Scope 1, 2 and 3 long-term target ambition and considers this aligned with its 1.5°C mitigation pathways for reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Scandinavian Enviro Systems (Enviro) reports having developed a new type of recovered carbon black with improved dispersion properties. It developed this new type of carbon black to meet demand from the tyre and rubber industry and has produced the material at its plant in Åsensbruk, Sweden ”for some time” now.
In addition to featuring the Elect marking on the sidewall, the P Zero E is the first Pirelli tyre to wear a new logo that identifies it as a product containing at least 50 per cent sustainable materials. This new marking depicts two arrows in a circle and will also be present on future tyre models made from half or more bio-based and/or recycled materials.
Continental has begun volume production of its “most sustainable series tyre to date” at its plant in Lousado, Portugal. The Continental UltraContact NXT contains up to 65 per cent renewable, recycled and mass balance certified materials, and at the same time achieves an EU tyre label AAA rating with the best possible values for wet grip, rolling resistance and exterior noise.
On 13 July, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) bestowed the AutomotiveINNOVATIONS Award 2023 in the ‘Chassis, Car Body & Exterior’ category upon Michelin for its road-approved car tyres containing 45 per cent sustainable materials. A jury composed of seasoned figures from the industry, the world of science and consulting, as well as specialist media selected Michelin for the award.
Exclusive tyre partner Pirelli has made the most of its presence at Goodwood Festival of Speed, presenting three additions to the P Zero family. In addition to the recently unveiled P Zero Trofeo RS and the P Zero R, a supercar tyre adapted for everyday use, Pirelli showed the P Zero E, a UHP tyre that launches with an EU label triple A rating in every size.
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