Sign Up to the Leading Journal in the Tyre Recycling Industry
Tyre and Rubber Recycling provides the global tyre recycling sector with a regular free e-newsletter service. At least 50 newsletters are produced each year detailing all the latest news and features from our pages. To make sure you don’t miss out on the latest news stories from around the world please submit your details via the form below, and we’ll happily add you to our circulation list.
Paraguayan student Karina Godoy wins the 2nd EFE-SIGNUS “Cristina Yuste” Scholarship for Environmental Journalism
Paraguayan student Karina Godoy, who is pursuing a Master’s in Digital Journalism and New Profiles at theRey Juan Carlos University (URJC) in Madrid, has been awarded the 2nd EFE-SIGNUS“Cristina Yuste” Scholarship for Environmental Journalism.
Karina Godoy replaces Nora-Sesmero in the scholarship scheme
She will begin her training with the EFE Agency’s Journalism School. This will allow her to specialise in this field of journalism and in reporting on waste management for nine months in the EFEVerde editorial team of the EFE Agency.
In a meeting between the president of EFE and the leaders of SIGNUS Ecovalor, the previous scholarship recipient, Nora Sesmero, who currently contributes to the SIGNUS blog, passed the baton to the new scholarship recipient, Karina Godoy.
Karina Godoy gainmed a degree in Communication from the National University of Asunción in 2016.
Recently, she has conducted research on municipal administration and the environment in Paraguay and collaborated with Latin American media outlets on socio-environmental issues.
In addition to Paraguay, Godoy has also trained in journalism workshops in Panama and Peru.
For ten years, SIGNUS Ecovalorand the EFE Agency have promoted a scholarship for specialisation in environmental journalism. Starting in 2024, it will bear the name Cristina Yuste, in memory and tribute to the EFEverde journalist who passed away four years ago, for her brilliant professional and personal career.
Tana Oy has announced the acquisition of its long-time Australian distributor, GCM Enviro Pty Ltd. The acquisition marks a significant step in Tana’s growth strategy and commitment to delivering customer value through direct local presence
With this acquisition, GCM Enviro will become a subsidiary and operate under the new name Tana Australia Pty Ltd. The move enables Tana to further strengthen its position in the AsiaPacific region and provide even more integrated and customer-focused solutions to the Australian waste management and recycling sectors.
Tana Raven in operation with GMC Enviro
“Tana and GCM Enviro have worked together successfully for more than two decades,” says Henri Kinnunen, interim CEO of Tana Oy. “By combining our operations, we can be closer to our customers, growing our presence and fleet in Australia, aiming to better understand customer needs, provide faster response times, and build stronger customer loyalty.”
The current team at GCM will continue to operate as before, ensuring business continuity and maintaining strong relationships with existing customers and partners. The integration will bring additional resources and improved service capabilities under the TANA brand.
“This is an exciting new chapter, and we are proud to become Tana Australia” says Nathan Connor, GM of GCM Enviro. “With deeper collaboration and access to more global resources, we can deliver even more value to our customers.”
Tana Oy’s strategic focus on circular economy and sustainable solutions is at the heart of this acquisition. The strengthened local presence in Australia reinforces the company’smission: to improve customers’ businesses – from waste to value.
The Westminster Hall debate on waste tyres, tabled by Tessa Munt Lib Dem MP for Wells and Mendip Hills raised the profile of the tyre export issue, though perhaps not as robust as some may have hoped, the debate has raised the profile of the export issue
Westminster Hall debates take place in Westminster Hall, not the House of Commons. They create an opportunity for issues to be discussed with Ministers and questions to be posed. The Minister representing DeFRA was Mary Creagh MP.
The introduction to the discussion was made by Tessa Munt, highlighting the need for a circular economy. Munt reminded the room of the revelations of the BBC investigation and added that of bales tracked from both the UK and Australia, 100% of the tracked bales did not go to the intended legitimate destination but were redirected to illegally be pyrolysed in some very dirty circumstances.
Tess Munt Lib Dem MP for Wells and Mendip
Sarah Dyke Lib Dem for Glastonbury and Somerton supported the debate, asking; “Does my hon. Friend agree that urgent Government investment in tyre recycling infrastructure is needed to tackle the environmental hazards posed by worn tyres?”
Munt continued; “This Minister knows that it is not sufficient to talk about the circular economy; she and her team need to take action to deliver the changes that have been talked about for far too long.”
There followed an outlining of what happens to UK tyre arisings in this unregulated market. Then came the question; “What is the Minister’s view on a potential producer responsibility scheme for the UK’s end of life tyres?”
Sarah Dyke Liberal MP for Glastonbury and Somerton
Munt then focused on the current situation with the Environment Agency; “In response to the legal challenge and the BBC documentary, the Government have announced that the Environment Agency will conduct a review into the issue. Today I seek clarification from the Minister about the scope of that review, and I have four questions at this point. Will the review be limited to an assessment of the enforcement of the existing legal provisions contained in the Basel convention and the waste shipments regulations? Will the review enable the Environment Agency to consider policy improvements? Will the review make policy recommendations to Ministers? How and when does the review intend to engage with the industry and interested parties?
“The Environment Act 2021 significantly strengthened the powers available to the Government to manage and track waste exports. Section 62 of the Act added to the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 by creating further regulatory powers to better manage and track waste exports and the countries they pass through. It also established additional powers of direction for Ministers. As I understand it, those important new powers have yet to be used.”
Then the discussion came to the crux of the problem, the T8 Exemptions. Munt asked; “Will the Minister use her new powers under section 62 of the 2021 Act to take action to address the problems with waste tyre exports? Because end-of-life tyres are currently deemed green list waste under assimilated law through the waste shipments regulations, they are not notifiable and, as a result, are difficult to track. Will the Minister confirm that she will amend the waste shipments regulations to remove end-of-life tyres from the green list category and make such exports notifiable?”
There followed an outline of the Australian experience and how the requirement for exporters to be licensed and the whole tyre export ban had virtually overnight brought an end to Australian exports of whole tyres to India – removing the risk of those tyres being salvaged and resold for use on the road.
Munt than asked her final questions; “I have three more questions for the Minister. If we are to adopt the circular economy agenda, should we not support investors who want to recycle end-of-life tyres here? Does she agree that we should take steps to ensure that UK companies have a domestic feedstock to give them confidence? Finally, does she agree that we should take responsibility for our own waste, process it here in the UK and maximise the economic value of that resource? The Australian model for end-of-use tyres seems good and effective, and we could easily replicate its impact and effect with relatively minor changes.”
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mary Creagh responded in the style that we have all become accustomed to from minsters of any shade over the past 10 years; “What a joy it is to be back in Westminster Hall to discuss everybody’s favourite subjects: the materials economy, waste crime, and how we are going to tackle waste crime, after a decade and a half of a lot of talk and very little action—as the Elvis Presley song goes. We will have a little more action under this Government. As part of our plan for change, we will clean up Britain, crack down on waste cowboys and close the waste loopholes. I am keen that we all work together on a cross-party basis to achieve that.”
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mary Creagh
In that response, plus ca change. That is what is always said. It is a catch-all response that makes no commitment to anything in particular.
There followed a bit of to and fro, and then Sarah Dyke offered this; “In 2021, Natural England downgraded the Somerset levels and moors Ramsar area and the water quality there to “unfavourable declining”. Somerset Wildlife Trust has attributed the microplastics to worn tyres in the environment. It is obviously a really concerning pollutant. What steps is the Minister taking to make manufacturers take greater responsibility for the contribution that their products make to microplastic pollution on the Somerset levels and moors?”
To observers familiar with the tyre industry the response from a minister of state was surprising, Creagh responded; “That is a really interesting fact, and not one that I have come across. I will take that away and look at it.”
Perhaps, we in the tyre sector live in a little bubble, but the question of tyre wear particles and rubber microplastics in the environment has been across the media for several years. Leading to the EU ban on crumb rubber infill in Europe. How could a Minister from DeFRa not be aware of the issue?
In a slightly diversionary response, Mary Creagh talked about the inconsistencies within the UK, and the possibility (reality) that tyres from Scotland were shipped to England for export. She did not discuss to issues in Northern Ireland where cross border disposal still takes place illicitly.
There was some talk from Mary Creagh of the Circular Economy Task Force and the suggestion that the tyre recovery Association should feed into one of the working streams.
Mary Creagh started winding up her response by saying; “The principle of fairness is important, as is enforcement of the law as it stands—before we make new laws, we should look at enforcing the laws we already have.”
The first part of that statement is absolutely what is being asked for by bona fide collectors and recyclers. Then things start to fall apart. The enforcement of the law as it stands is absolutely where the system is failing. The abuse of the free to obtain T8 Exemption has resulted in the Environment Agency not having the funds to inspect. Equally, the delay in the introduction of digital waste tracking has allowed evasion of tracking and abuse of the T8 to continue unabated.
Unless the system is changed, and the EA given the funding to inspect and regulate the T8 Exemptions, then nothing will change. When asked about the number of T8 Exemption in place, the EA responded that there were in excess of 6,000 T8 Exemptions, many of them agricultural, many of them dormant, but they had no way of checking any of these Exemptions unless there was an environmental crime or pollution issue reported. Their responses were almost invariably reactive, after the fact. That has to change.
TSA (Tyre Stewardship Australia) welcomes the findings of the Australian Senate Inquiry’s report ‘No Time to Waste’ (the Report)
Commending the Senate Committee and its Chair Senator Whish-Wilson for making sense of Australia’s current policies and regulations, Ms Goodman said; “It is clear that there is overwhelming industry and community support for a cohesive national approach to better waste management and transition to a circular economy. And the big news from this Inquiry is that there is again overwhelming industry support for regulated product stewardship schemes as the path forward.”
TSA agrees with the need for a Circular Economy Act to get regulated product stewardship schemes up and running as the most effective approach to achieving Australia’s circular economy ambitions.
The Report findings show that the Senate Committee has listened to logic and industry insights on the road map for a way forward. “With the federal election underway, we call on all the parties to commit to creating an efficient set of rules for product stewardship. And empowering product stewardship schemes and industry, together, to deliver a fit-for-purpose approach,” Goodman said.
Effective product stewardship supports material circularity throughout the entire value chain, from product design, through production, use, re-use, collection, recycling, reprocessing and end-of-life product management.
“The circular economy is a huge opportunity, and industry is ready to make the most of it. CSIRO modelling shows that doubling the circularity of the economy can deliver a net economic benefit of $26 billion in GDP by 2035.
“Our current voluntary product stewardship scheme on tyres is working to the extent it can, but the need for mandatory participation by all tyre importers, will create a level-playing field for all businesses, improve outcomes, lower costs, remove free riders and help stop rogue operators and illegal dumping of tyres.
“Only Federal Government action can establish the uniform, best-practice regulation so urgently needed to achieve mandatory product stewardship objectives effectively and economically efficiently across Australia.
“The time for voluntary schemes has long passed – we need decisive federal action to implement a comprehensive national regulatory framework for stronger stewardship schemes, including tyres alongside other priority products such as batteries,” Goodman continued. “Without Federal Government leadership, Australia’s circular economy ambitions will remain fragmented and unfulfilled.
“TSA has made submissions to the Productivity Commission’s current public inquiry into the Opportunities in the Circular Economy. Our key recommendation has been for them to listen to the call from the Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group to establish a federal Circular Economy Act. It was heartening to see that this is also the key recommendation of the Senate Inquiry.
“A week out from the federal election, we hope all parties will approach the next federal term of government with real intent to get serious about building Australia’s circular economy.” TSA made a detailed submission to the Senate Inquiry into Waste Reduction and Recycling Policies.”
Comment: Whilst at this stage this is only a report, the interpretation is that the time has come for mandatory recycling schemes, or full Extended Producer responsibility across all waste streams, potentially including tyres.
Of course, any progress towards EPR is likely to be delayed by the Federal Elections in May.
The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) today welcomed the announcement of a Westminster Hall debate on the critical issue of end-of-life tyres (ELTs) and recycling
The debate, which was secured by Tessa Muntthe MP for Wells and Mendip Hills, is scheduled to take place at 11am on Tuesday, 29 April. It comes at a crucial time, following increased scrutiny of the sector following the BBC’s File on 4documentary, The Tyre Scandal,which exposed the damage caused by UK waste tyres being burnt in India.
The BBC and Source Material investigation evidenced the consequences of the current exporting of UK waste and the failures of the current waste regulatory regime. The programme’s findings unequivocally validate the TRA’s long standing campaign for reform, in particular the end of the T8 exemption and a shred only export protocol. The TRA would like to see robust regulatory reform to ensure that ELTs are managed responsibly and idle UK reprocessing capacity is used in order to meet the Government’s policy objective of a zero-waste circular economy.
Peter Taylor OBE, Secretary General of the TRA, said; “This Westminster Hall debate is a significant opportunity to hear the Minster respond in person to the realities and challenges we have been highlighting for some time. Tess Munt MP is to be congratulated for securing Tuesday’s debate.
“The evidence is now irrefutable; the current situation is unsustainable, environmentally damaging, and economically short-sighted. We have always wanted to work with the government to see policy reform and to do what is best for the environment and British businesses, action is needed now.
“The upcoming debate requires the government minister to provide a substantive response to the serious concerns raised. Our members expect a clear commitment to action, not a repetition of the defence for the status quo ( we’ve repeatedly heard from DEFRA). Ministers can no longer afford to fiddle while tyres burn. The rhetoric must now be matched by concrete action and effective update of UK policy.”
LD Carbon has opened Korea’s first and the largest tyre pyrolysis plant in Dangjin, South Korea
Every year approximately 400,000 tons of ELTs are generated in South Korea. Globally, the figure reaches 30 million tons annually. Most of these ELTs are recycled as construction materials or undergo heat treatment for pyrolysis oil extraction.
According to industry sources, even when pyrolysis oil is produced from ELTs, a volume of solid waste comparable to the produced oil is generated. South Korean companies involved in this business faced significant cost burdens due to processing nearly half of the input as waste.
LD Carbon has opened a 50,000tpa plant in South Korea
Established in 2017, LD Carbon is a startup that has overcome the limitations of ELT recycling through technology. It transforms the byproduct, previously treated as waste, into rCB, which is used in the production of new tyres.
LD Carbon has established Korea’s first and the largest ELT resource circulation plant in Dangjin and held its completion ceremony on the 24th April.
The LD CarbonDangjin plant is located in the ‘Dangjin Hapdeok General Industrial Complex.’ Upon entering the plant, built on a site of 29,800㎡ (approx. 9,000 pyeong), two factory buildings and five silos immediately catch the eye.
Tyre chips serve as the raw material for rCB, which, in turn, is used as a material for new tires. This creates a resource circulation structure: ‘End-of-Life Tyre → Tyre Chip → rCB → New Tyre.’
The tyre chips stored in the silos are moved to the ‘primary pyrolysis stage’. In this process, 10 pyrolysis units process up to 150 tons of tyre chips daily. Annually, this equates to a capacity capable of handling 50,000 tons of tyre chips.
Typically, after the primary pyrolysis stage, ELTs are transformed into pyrolysis oil and ‘char,’ a solid fuel.
LD Carbon further processes the char and performs secondary pyrolysis to produce rCB. Compared to conventional ‘Carbon Black’ used in tyre production, rCB can reduce carbon emissions by up to 32,000 tons.
rCB, extracted as a fine powder, can experience loss during delivery. Therefore, it undergoes another process to form small pellets before being supplied to customers. After completing this final process, LD Carbon’s ELT recycling rate reaches 98 per cent.
The Dangjin plant is projected to produce 20,000 tons of Green Carbon Black (LD Carbon’s rCB product name) and 24,000 tons of pyrolysis oil annually. This production volume surpasses the combined 7,000 tons previously produced at the pilot Gimcheon plant.
LD Carbon’s Dangjin plant has also achieved cost efficiency by automating almost all processes. An LD Carbon official explained, “99.9 per cent of the process is controlled by an automated system from the control room,” adding, “It’s structured for 24-hour continuous operation.”
rCB produced at LD Carbon’s Gimcheon plant is already being supplied to major domestic tyre companies. Furthermore, global tyre companies are also testing LDC’s rCB product.
Tire companies are reaching out to LD Carbon because its rCB holds the ‘ISCC PLUS‘ eco-friendly certification, which complies with European energy directives.
With major tyre companies aiming to achieve over 40 per cent sustainable raw material usage by 2030, the demand for rCB produced by LD Carbon is expected to increase further.
While rCB is the company’s core competitive strength, the pyrolysis oil generated from the primary pyrolysis stage also meets the eco-friendly demands of corporations.
An overhead view of the Dangjin plant
Consequently, SK Incheon Petrochemhas contracted to receive a 10-year supply of the pyrolysis oil that LD Carbon plans to produce in the future.
LD Carbon is set to begin full-scale operation of the Dangjin plant in April, is also pursuing the establishment of overseas factories, planning to enter the Asian market in the near future.
Yong Kyung Hwang, Co-CEO of LD Carbon, stated, “For rCB, we are receiving orders nearly double our production capacity. Our goal is to achieve a turnaround this year by operating the plant effectively.”
TRF (The Tire Recycling Foundation) has appointed Stephanie Mull as its executive director
Mull will lead the organisation’s efforts to drive innovation and invest in the circular tyre economy, grow end-of-life tyre markets, and support research to address gaps in the tyre recycling supply chain and sustainability.
Mull joins TRF with extensive experience in the sustainability sector and vast expertise in fleet management and decarbonisation, including transitioning fleets to alternative fuels and electric vehicles. In her most recent role as Sustainability Senior Manager at PepsiCo, she led initiatives on reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions across Pepsi and Frito-Lay’s North American fleets, guiding large-scale electrification projects and securing grant funding. Mull led transitions of municipal fleets to cleaner technologies working in local government. She also assisted with the Red Cross’s fleet electrification effort in a volunteer role.
“I’m honoured to join the Tire Recycling Foundation and support its sustainability mission to achieve 100% end-of-life tyre circularity,” said Mull. “TRF is a vital nexus of expertise and leadership, and I look forward to working with all stakeholders in developing tire recycling solutions that pave the way for a more sustainable future.”
The Tire Recycling Foundation, led by the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) and the Tire Industry Association (TIA), is committed to securing funding and allocating grants for research, education, intervention and demonstration projects addressing critical gaps within the tyre recycling value chain across the United States. TRF’s Board includes 15 global industry leaders with deep knowledge and diverse expertise in manufacturing, recycling, transportation and sustainability. TRF’s leadership is guiding the Foundation’s strategic objectives to expand sustainable end-use markets and accelerate the adoption of proven and emerging technologies.
“Stephanie Mull brings the passion, in-depth expertise and history of excellence that will drive TRF and its partners to achieve critical tire recycling and reclamation milestones,” said Anne Forristall Luke, TRF Board President. “We are thrilled to have her join the Foundation as we advance tire sustainability while tackling the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
GIIB Material Sciences Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of GIIB Holdings Bhd(GIIB) has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Singapore-based Global Enviro Pte Ltd to collaborate in a field related to end-of-life tyres and rubber waste
GIIB is recognised in the retreading market as a key Malaysian source of retreading expertise and materials.
In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, the company said both parties would collaborate in areas such as the offtake and commercial utilisation of recovered carbon black and graphene from Global Enviro’s tyre pyrolysis and advanced recycling operations.
Other areas of joint focus are the development of a shared circular economy framework supported by blockchain-based traceability as well as environment, social and governance metrics.
This move by GIIB further drives the development of the best practice in the pyrolysis sector and is to be welcomed not only for its use of recycled materials, but its enhancement of the perception of the sector
Global Enviro will aslo facilitate GIIB’s market expansion in Singapore, including through engagements with government-linked companies and institutional partners.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Department of Environment (DoE) in Bangladesh conducted a nationwide anti-pollution campaign that, among other things, targets illegal tyre pyrolysis plants
Apart from tyre pyrolysis, the anti-pollution initiative in Bangladesh also targeted various sources of pollution, including vehicles emitting excessive black smoke, steel mills contributing to air pollution, illegal brick kilns, noise pollution, hazardous waste discharge, lead-battery recycling factories, landfilling of water bodies, charcoal factories, and the open storage of construction materials causing air pollution.
As a part of the campaign, the DoE conducted 778 mobile court drives across the country, resulting in 1,663 cases. A total of 438 chimneys of illegal brick kilns were demolished, and stern directives for closure were issued to 210 brick kilns. Raw bricks at 124 kilns were destroyed and the electricity connections of seven brick kilns were disconnected. According to the ministry press release, one person was also sentenced to jail.
On April 10, 2025, the DoE conducted six mobile court drives in the Dhaka Metropolitan areas of Gulshan-1 and 2, Matuail, Aminbazar, Mohamamdpur and Narayanganj, targeting air pollution from construction materials. The anti-pollution drive in the Aminbazar area also targeted an illegal lead-acid battery smelting factory.
In Gazipur, an operation targeting the filling of water bodies resulted in a warning issued to one individual, alongside a directive to restore the pond to its original condition within five days. Additionally, in the Manikganj and Dinajpur districts, two mobile court drives against illegal brick kilns resulted in eight cases.
The Environment Agency has secured a proceeds of crime judgment for £313,382.45 against two men from Northampton who ran an illegal waste tyre site
At Northampton crown court on Friday 28 March, a confiscation hearing concluded against Nimesh Patel, aged 52, of Jasper Walk, Thorplands Brook, and Andrew Eyre, aged 55, of Poppyfield Road, Wootton.
Patel was ordered to pay £175,013.93 and a £122 surcharge, while Eyre received an order for £138,368.52 and £140 surcharge.
This, as the news release advises, was the second prosecution for a similar offence within the space of four years. One might ask the question, why had the higher proceeds of crime award not been made the first time around?
Both men have been given 3 months to pay or will face 3 and 2 years in prison respectively. Eyre was also fined £250 for breach of his first suspended sentence of imprisonment he received in January 2020.
The duo had been prosecuted for their part in running a waste tyre site, Synergy Tyres (Midland) Ltd., at Broad March Industrial Estate in Daventry.
In September 2024, Eyre, a director of the company, had received an 18-week prison sentence that was suspended for 12 months, on condition that he completed 30 days of rehabilitation activities.
Patel, who had been operations manager, was sentenced to 14 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, on condition that he perform 80 hours of unpaid work.
The Daventry site operated without an environmental permit and tyres were stored in an unsafe manner, creating a significant fire-risk and, therefore, a high-pollution risk.
From February 2020, Environment Agencyofficers inspected the site multiple times over the course of a year, and each time witnessed huge amounts of tyres that exceeded the legal limit.
Paperwork obtained showed that waste tyres were continuously delivered to the site throughout the year, with Eyre being the sole director, and Patel having day-to-day control of the site.
The investigation found that the 40-tonne weekly limit for the storage or treatment of waste tyres was exceeded in 52 out of the 59 weeks analysed.
This probe followed a court case in January 2020 for the same nature of offending, when Synergy Tyres (Midland) Ltd. had been fined £11,250. Eyre received a suspended 12-month sentence, suspended for 24 months, on condition that he stayed out of trouble and performed 150 hours of unpaid work.
At that hearing, John Mullen, then 59, of Frankston Avenue, Milton Keynes, received a 6-month community order with a requirement that he completed 15 days of rehabilitation activities.
At the confiscation hearing on Friday 28 March, Mullen received an order for £1 and a surcharge of £85.
Eyre and Mullen had been joint directors of a company called IN4 Ltduntil February 2017, when Eyre retired, leaving Mullen as the sole director.
That company was found by investigators in March 2017 to be storing more than 1,300 tonnes of tyres – more than 15 times the amount allowed under its environmental permit.
Peter Stark, enforcement leader for the Environment Agency in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, said:
“The case shows that we’re not just content to prosecute those who run illegal waste sites, we’ll also come after them to get back the profits they made from their illegal activities and to recoup taxpayers’ money spent on pursuing them.
“Waste crime can have a serious environmental impact that puts communities at risk and undermines legitimate business and the investment and economic growth that go with it.
“We support legitimate businesses and we are proactively supporting them by disrupting and stopping the criminal element backed up by the threat of tough enforcement as in this case.
“We continue to use intelligence-led approaches to target the most serious crimes and evaluate which interventions are most effective.
“If you see or suspect waste crime is being committed we urge you to report it immediately to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.”
