The Leading Journal for the Tyre Recycling Sector

The Leading Journal for the Tyre Recycling Sector

Home Blog

The Punjab Pollution Control Board: Two-Thirds of Tyre-Fuel Plants Missing Air Filters

The Punjab Pollution Control Board discovered several lapses at tyre-to-fuel plants, with around two-thirds breaching pollution norms and safety regulations

MSN reported that 17 teams of environmental engineers carried out a coordinated inspection of tyre pyrolysis oil facilities across the state, aiming to ensure compliance with pollution control measures and safety protocols. Out of 17 units inspected, 11 failed to meet the standards. The Punjab Pollution Control Board has initiated action following the inspections, issuing notices to the units found in violation.

The inspections found that most of the plants lacked functional air pollution control devices, while other prevalent issues included unsafe handling of pyro gas, improper disposal of carbon, known as char, and deficiencies in effluent management. The Board stated that it will continue to enforce the adoption of safer technology within the industry in Punjab.

Punjab EPA Discovered Illegal Pyrolysis Plants Causing Lahore Smog

The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has discovered a source of Lahore’s increasing smog through drone surveillance

The Punjab EPA investigation found several illegal pyrolysis plants operating secretly at night, burning old tyres to make fuel, which pollutes the air and harms public health, Photonews in Pakistan reported.

Smog, especially during winter, chokes Lahore and plants operating illegally during the night dodge daytime checks. The EPA’s drone team inspected eight pyrolysis facilities in various areas, including Karol Ghati, Turki Road, Sharifpura and Daroghawala. Three of these facilities were actively functioning, while five seemed to be non-operational. However, the EPA investigation found tyre piles, wires and fresh carbon deposits, which indicates that many of these plants were still operating at night, significantly contributing to the air pollution crisis in Lahore.

Ali Ijaz, Deputy Director, said that the EPA and the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) took prompt action, demolishing all the facilities that were burning tyres or other hazardous fuels. Ijaz emphasised that the use and transport of such materials, particularly tyres, is illegal under environmental regulations.

Mathe Group: New Investment to Extract Clean Steel from Tyres for Export

Mathe Group has made a multi-million-rand investment in new equipment to extract “clean steel” from tyres for export to India and South Korea

Dr Mehran Zarrebini, CEO of Mathe Group, says that the clean steel investment, which includes the installation of a new clean steel mill with an automated packaging line and several de-beading machines, will boost earnings. Steel, which comprises 30% of each radial truck tyre, has been an unavoidable by-product that had to be removed before tyres could be reduced to rubber crumb for reuse. Now, this will become a valued second income stream, ultimately growing export earnings and generating more job opportunities. 

Dr Zarrebini shared that when tyre recycling started in South Africa, the side walls of the tyres were cut off and sold for use in agriculture. Mathe Group introduced the current de-beading process in 2017, when the company moved to Hammarsdale. However, that process damages the geometry of the beads, making them difficult to bend, package and sell.

The new machinery removes the entire bead free of rubber and keeps it intact, meaning that steel material is then utilised in blasting applications as a substitute for virgin steel. Dr Zarrebini says that the price gleaned from this material is three times higher than that paid for scrap metal, with the bonus of additional rubber removed, boosting the amount of rubber recovered from each tyre.

The new debearding machines will replace existing equipment, which is oil-driven and costly to maintain, reducing both emissions and operating costs. “We are looking at material that could be potentially used in the local steel market, which is under huge pressure. Right now, no steel extracted from tyres is sold locally,” Dr Zarrebini explains.

Currently, the company ships the extracted steel to India, where it is cleaned before being shipped to South Korea, where it is used in the manufacture of goods such as ships or motor cars. The cleaning process will now take place in the company.

Dr Zarrebini says that the installation of a steel cleaning mill, which will reduce the rubber contamination from the current 10% to less than 2%, is part of a broader re-design of the production process and will include an in-built packaging line which will bag the steel and deposit it into an awaiting shipping container, which is then trucked to the Durban port. Increased capacity at the plant will see 108 tons (or a minimum of four containers) leaving Hammarsdale each week.

“The new steel processing system cuts a lot of cost from the system and adds both efficiency and a further 8% of rubber crumb to the process. Although steel wasn’t initially Mathe’s main income stream, with the escalating cost and complexity of doing business, it has become an important part of the business,” he explained.

The steel extraction equipment will be fully operational by January 2026.

Gunvor and New Energy to Collaborate

Gunvor, one of the world’s leading independent commodities trading companies, and New Energy (member of the NE-TECH Group), a Budapest-based technology company specialising in the advanced chemical recycling of end-of-life tyres, have announced the signing of a strategic collaboration agreement

New Energy will provide Gunvor with pyrolysis oil from its waste tyre recycling plant in Dunaharaszti, Hungary, as well as future NE-TECH facilities in Karcag, Western Europe, and regions beyond the EU.

Pyrolysis oil is intended to serve as a feedstock for refineries, substituting traditional fossil-based raw materials. Utilising chemically recycled oil contributes to the reduction of carbon emissions and supports core principles of circular economy models by facilitating material reuse and minimising waste.

Ricardo Cordeiro de Sousa, Circular Naphtha and Pyrolysis Oil trader at Gunvor, commented; “On top of conventional products, Gunvor is committed to increasing its support for the ‘circular economy’ and the Energy Transition. NE-TECH  has a unique technology that is working on full industrial scale operating 24/7, and together we can offer both economic advantages and environmental benefits. We look forward to working with New Energy and sourcing products from its current and new facilities in Europe.”

Viktor Varadi, CEO of NE-TECH Group, concluded; “This partnership underlines our successful development and optimization of our processes to maximize economic efficiency of our plant and technology. We are proud that we achieved this level, where we qualify our products to the high standards of Gunvor, and partner with one of the world’s leading independent commodities trading companies This collaboration will result in the production of more environment friendly products made by the petrochemical industry.” 

BIPAVER’s Comments on the EC  “Circular Economy Act”

BIPAVER (Bureau International Permanent des Associates de Vendeurs et Rechapeurs de Pneumatiques) represents the independent European retreading industry

BIPAVER represents its members’ interests concerning national and international legislation and technical regulations at the UN-ECE level, as well as informing political and public stakeholders about the ecological and economic aspects of tyre retreading and repair. BIPAVER also collaborates with industry associations such as ETRMA and ETRTO to represent the interests of its members.

BIPAVER supports the EU Commission’s initiative to improve the conditions for implementing the circular economy and making better use of secondary raw materials.

Tyre retreading plays a decisive role in reducing waste and implementing the circular economy in the tyre sector. Retreading is currently represented in the commercial vehicle sector with a market share of around 30% in the European replacement market.

An average truck tyre has a total weight of around 70 kg, with between 15 and 22 kg on the tread.

This leaves around 50 kg of high-quality rubber and steel components that could be reused in retreading, provided the casing is designed for a multiple use. In some application segments, several retreading cycles are even possible (e.g. aircraft tyres are retreaded up to five times).

The Ernst&Young report states that; The socio-economic impact of truck tyre retreading in Europe” highlights the benefits of using a quality retread.

Compared to a non-retreadable low-end tyre, a retreaded tyre enables savings of

▪ 70% natural resource extraction (ore, oil…)

▪ 29% land use

▪ 24% CO2 emissions

▪ 21% air pollution

▪ 19% water consumption.

Despite this positive aspect of retreading, the following challenges affect our industry and should be regulated as part of the Circular Economy Act:

▪ The retreadable carcasses, the worn tyres that form the basis for retreaded tyres, must not be treated as “waste”, but as a high-quality raw material – In some member states tyre casings selected for retreading are not counted as waste, in others they are.

▪ The classification of retreadable carcasses as “raw material” (being the base of every retreaded tyre) instead of waste would facilitate the intra-European transportation of these carcasses.

▪ For many years, retreaded commercial vehicle tyres have proven to be a sustainable product and an equivalent replacement for new tyres in many areas of application. Cheap, generally non-retreadable new tyres from Asia have increasingly pushed retreaded tyres out of the market and severely damaged the retreading industry.

▪ For this reason, their use should be supported and promoted by politics as a significant contribution to strengthening the “RE-USE” case prioritised in the recycling hierarchy.

▪ Especially in public sector tenders, which often concern wear-intensive urban tyre applications (city buses, refuse collection, street cleaning, building yard vehicles, etc.), retreaded tyres are currently excluded in many tenders or new tyres are preferred.

▪ In other areas of freight transport, retreaded tyres could also make an important and directly effective contribution to the goals of the circular economy.

A potential that has unfortunately only been insufficiently exploited to date.

▪ Many EU directives, e.g. on taxonomy (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2485) or energy efficiency (Directive (EU) 2023/1791), require certain energy efficiency or noise emission classes for the use of tyres in relation to the EU tyre label (Tyre Labelling Regulation (EU) 2019/40), which retreaded tyres cannot currently meet. There is currently no EU tyre label for retreaded tyres, which means that their application is de facto excluded. Here too, the retreaded tyre should be recognised as an “eco-product” even without an EU tyre label.

BIPAVER is therefore in favour of these points being included in the considerations that are to lead to the development of new framework conditions for improving the circular economy and is prepared to play an active role here at any time.

USTMA Launches New Recycling Webinar Series

The new USTMA webinar series will equip state and industry leaders with proven strategies to unlock the full value of End-of-Life Tyre markets

The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA), in collaboration with the Tire Recycling Foundation, today announced the launch of a webinar series designed to accelerate the growth of scalable, profitable end-use markets for End-of-Life Tyres (ELT). The series entitled “The Road to 100% Tire Circularity: ELTs Going Full Circle” will kick off in September and run through early 2026, covering three of the most promising ELT markets – tyre-derived aggregate (TDA), moulded and extruded products, and rubber-modified asphalt (RMA) – followed by a capstone session on grants and funding opportunities to support market growth.

In each webinar, host and USTMA Senior Director of ELT Programs, John Sheerin, will sit down with industry experts, leading recyclers and state policymakers to explore the latest research on these markets. They will discuss the viability and real-world examples of how ELT have been redirected from landfills to provide unique environmental, industrial and economic value for communities.

“We view these webinars as a crucial opportunity to connect key leaders across the country and show them that sustainability and economic growth go hand-in-hand,” said Anne Forristall Luke, President & CEO, USTMA. “By showcasing proven applications and providing the tools to act, we can collectively turn ELTs from a waste challenge into an economic engine.”

The Road to 100% Tire Circularity: ELT’s Going Full Circle Webinar Lineup 

Building Better Infrastructure: How Tire-Derived Aggregate Transforms Waste into Civil Engineering Solutions-September 23, 2025
•    A discussion on the brand new TDA State of Knowledge Report with recyclers and engineers showcasing applications of TDA in structural fill, vibration mitigation, and stormwater management across North America.

From Tires to Everyday Products: The Growing Market for Molded and Extruded Products – October 30, 2025

  • Insights from recyclers and moulded product manufacturers on expanding markets and adoption.

How Rubber-Modified Asphalt Delivers Cost-Savings and Longer Lasting Sustainable Roads and Pavements – November 20, 2025

  • An exploration of the latest research on RMA, from its historic and current field performance to its environmental, economic and sustainability impact. 

Using RMA to Advance Sustainability and Durability in Roadways in the Midwest– January 14, 2026

  • A deep dive into real-world applications of RMA in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana with the industry experts who led those projects.

Strategies for RMA Adoption in Southern States: Cost-Saving High-Performance Infrastructure solutions– January 28, 2026 

  • A deep dive into real-world applications of RMA in Kentucky, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee with the industry experts who led those projects.

Funding the Future: Grant Opportunities to Scale ELT Markets – February 24, 2026 

  • A comprehensive look at national and state grants to support ELT market growth, featuring Georgia and Colorado 

“As we look to expand ELT markets and unlock the full environmental and economic potential of ELT, collaboration is essential,” said John Sheerin, Senior Director, ELT Programs, USTMA. “And no one can do it alone. State DOTs, regulators, recyclers and manufacturers must work together to help grow ELT markets through targeted investment, supportive policy and continued research.”

The Case for Expanding End-of-Life Tire Markets 
ELTs represent a major opportunity to advance the circular economy through smart, scalable recycling. According to USTMA’s 2023 ELT Management Report, tyres remain one of the most recycled and reclaimed products in the country. For over 34 years, USTMA has worked alongside stakeholders to achieve a 94% reduction in ELT stockpiles in the U.S. However, the recycling system is not without its challenges, and as ELT generation continues to outpace consumption, active state ELT programs with an added focus on creating and maintaining these innovative markets is a beneficial and successful path forward.

How to Register 
Visit https://www.ustires.org/webinars to sign up for the webinar series and join the conversation shaping the future of sustainable tyre management. Attendees can register to attend any or all the webinars.  After each session, USTMA will send attendees a downloadable resource kit with materials to empower continued discussion and action. 

VTTI Consultation on Tyreloop Project

TyreLoop will be built at VTTI Antwerp terminal in Belgium, where land has been allocated for the project

Key feasibility steps in 2025 included selecting several contractors. In February, VTTI signed a consultancy agreement with Pyrum Innovation AG, an expert in tyre recycling using patented thermolysis technology. Pyrum was chosen for its advanced, proven technology and successful industrial operations in Europe.

VTTI officially launched a market consultation on September 9 for the offtake of Tyre-Derived Oil (TDO) as part of the project’s next phase. Interested market participants are invited to submit an Expression of Interest by 18:00 CEST on 17 October 2025, marking the start of commercial engagement.

1. Expression of Interest (9 September – 17 October 2025)

  • The first step is for parties to express their interest by sending an email to TyreLoop@vtti.com.
  • After sending this notification, the interested party will receive an information package with an NDA, a questionnaire, and a process letter.
  • The signed NDA and filled in questionnaire need to be submitted by 18:00 CEST on 17 October 2025.

2. The second phase will be determined based on the outcome of phase 1 (17 October onwards)

  • VTTI aims to have signed Heads of Agreements by Q1 2026.

This initiative is fully aligned with VTTI’s goal to generate 50% of its earnings from transitional and sustainable energies, while expanding infrastructure that supports circular economy solutions globally.

The Process

Before arriving at VTTI Antwerp, waste tyres will undergo shredding and separation to remove steel wire and textile components. The remaining rubber granulate is then transported to the facility for processing.

Thermolysis Process (onsite)
Pyrolysis of rubber granulate involves the thermal decomposition of the organic components at high temperature to produce TDO or pyrolysis oil, pyrolytic gas, and recovered carbon black. TDO and pyrolytic gas are derived from synthetic and natural rubber. The pyrolytic gas is used to produce electricity to heat the pyrolysis reactors. The natural rubber content will recycle into the biogenic parts of gas and TDO (minimum 40%); hence part of the pyrolysis oil is biogenic. The solid fraction of the feedstock is turned into char, a raw form of recovered carbon black.

A process of milling and pelletising turns the char into rCB a product that can be used in the production of tyres, mechanical rubber goods (MRG) and specialty products (e.g., paints).

By utilising this process, the W2V plant maximises resource recovery, reduces dependence on virgin materials, and supports sustainable industrial practices – reinforcing VTTI’s commitment to circular economy principles and environmental responsibility.

TDO Quality

With Pyrum as development partner, VTTI TyreLoop Antwerp has ensured the best in class pyrolysis technology for its project to enable high consistency in TDO quality. This quality is proven with thousands of tons of delivered TDO from the Dillingen plant of Pyrum Innovations, used in several end applications.

The Tyreloop project will be sited at the Port of Antwerp and Bruges (PoAB), Belgium;

Continental Using Synthetic Rubber Made From Used Cooking Oil

Continental uses synthetic rubber made from recycled oil, with a goal of increasing the use of sustainable materials in tyre production

Continental revealed that the use of renewable and recycled materials in its tyre production averaged 26% in 2024, and the company hopes to see an increase of 2 to 3 percentage points by the end of this year. By 2030, this figure is expected to rise to at least 40%. Among other materials, Continental focuses on rubber and resins from various more sustainable sources.

Synthetic rubber from renewable and recycled materials and responsibly sourced natural rubber are crucial in more sustainable tyre production. This is due to the high content of this key raw material in every tyre produced, with modern high-performance tyres consisting of up to 40% rubber by weight. The actual type of rubber used in a tyre depends heavily on the component in question and the function it performs. Continental car tyres are manufactured using up to 100 different raw materials, which in turn are used to produce up to 20 different customised rubber compounds per article, among other things. These also contain recycled variants of additives and supplementary raw materials, as well as circular resins that make the resulting rubber more pliable and improve overall tyre performance. 

“We’re closing the loop: Continental is ramping up its commitment to a circular economy and mapping out its path for the future,” says Jorge Almeida, head of Sustainability at Continental. “Innovative solutions enable us to use more sustainable raw materials, such as synthetic rubber made from used cooking oil or resins based on certified renewable feedstocks originally derived from vegetable oil.”

Continental mainly uses two categories of rubber, each offering specific technological benefits for specific tyre components: natural rubber and synthetically produced rubber.

Natural rubber – which is typically used in tyre production – is used, for example, in the treads of car and truck tyres, where the rubber needs to be extremely hard-wearing. Its special properties include its impact resistance and durability, thanks to the strain-induced crystallisation inherent in naturally grown rubber. This unique feature of natural rubber cannot yet be reproduced artificially.

Meanwhile, synthetic rubber is incorporated into the car tyre treads in addition to natural rubber because of its superior braking performance and rolling resistance. Continental is increasingly using synthetic rubber derived from, for example, pyrolysis oil made from end-of-life tyres or used cooking oil, sourcing it from suppliers such as Synthos and TotalEnergies Cray Valley, both of which are using a mass balance approach, valorising sustainable sources certified by the ISCC PLUS International Sustainability and Carbon Certification. The production processes and raw materials used to manufacture the synthetic rubber supplied comply with this system.

Continental uses circular resins produced by suppliers like TotalEnergies Cray Valley that are ISCC PLUS-certified, sustaining along the value chain the development of renewables feedstocks originally coming from vegetable oil or used cooking oil. Continental also uses the ISCC PLUS-certified rubber additive TMQ from LANXESS. According to life cycle assessments, this additive, produced from raw materials such as biocircular acetone, has a carbon footprint that is more than 30% lower than its conventionally manufactured counterpart. Biocircular acetone is made from waste of biological origin, like recycled cooking oil. 

The use of such materials is possible thanks to the mass balance approach, which involves mixing fossil, renewable and recycled materials during the manufacturing process and tracking them as they move along the value chain. This allows the company to attribute the input of renewable and recycled raw materials to the output of the final product and thus precisely document – and successively increase – the use of ISCC PLUS certified materials.

“The mass balance approach enables us to efficiently manage the complexity of the raw materials portfolio and track how these raw materials are used at multiple production sites in a wide range of markets,” explains Matthias Haufe, head of Material Development and Industrialisation at Continental. “In this way, we can steadily increase the share of renewable and recycled materials in our tyre production – and transparently document the progress we make.”

Might Malaysia Focus on Tyre Recycling?

As a leading rubber producer, Malaysia has, perhaps, not had a need for recycled rubber materials, but it does have a waste rubber challenge to address

On the 14th August questions were asked in the Malaysian parliament  on how used tyres were being treated in Malaysia.

Datuk Haji Ahmad Amzad bin Mohamed asked the Minister of Plantation and Commodities to state:
(a) how the ministry is supporting the production of innovative products based on used tyres and developing the downstream rubber industry to transform this sector towards a circular and sustainable economy; and
(b) the incentives or strategic collaborations in place to strengthen research, commercialisation, and the use of these environmentally friendly products in the market.

Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities Datuk Chan Foong Hin responded in an extensive answer that clarified the current situation pointing out that Malaysia imported various types of tyres valued at RM3.53 billion in 2024 to meet domestic demand, which is estimated at 22 million units annually.

He added that the Malaysian Rubber Board (LGM) had taken steps through research and development to explore the potential of used tyres as a resource for a circular economy.

These studies included the use of recovered carbon black as a sustainable alternative to virgin carbon black.

There was also ongoing research into the uses of reclaim or devulcanised rubber and the use of recovered materials in alternate applications such as bitumen additives, brick production, road surfacing, rubber mats, and footwear.

He added that the Malaysian Rubber Council (MRC) has introduced a special fund under the Automation and Green Technology initiative to encourage rubber product manufacturers to adopt automation, digitalisation, and green technology.

The MRC also provides pre-commercialisation and commercialisation funding for innovative products through the Industry Linkage Fund 2.0 (ILF 2.0) and the MRC Commercialisation Fund (MCF), which includes funding for products derived from used tyres.

One innovative product developed through MRC funding is a new pre-cast wall panel, now undergoing pre-commercialisation trials with industry partners. This wall panel incorporates crumb rubber from used tyres, which enhances its resistance to heat, fire, and sound.

In a follow up question, Datuk Haji Ahmad Amzad bin Mohamed highlighted the benefits of  Crumb Rubber Modified Asphalt (CRMA), which he claimed had been proven to improve the durability of road surfaces, reduce maintenance costs by up to 26%, and is environmentally friendly—as demonstrated on the SKVE Highway.

He then asked: “What is the ministry’s strategy to expand the production of high-quality crumb rubber, strengthen national standards, and promote the use of CRMA in both public and private sector projects, including developing export opportunities for this material?”

Datuk Chan Foong Hin responded that the MoPC through the Malaysian Rubber Board and MRC, is continuously working to enhance the rubber industry’s downstream applications.

On the issue of CRMA, the Minister stated that the government hoped to work closely with the Ministry of Public Works (KKR) to explore ways to implement this collaboration.

Khoo Poay Tiong  the member for Kota Melaka then asked specifically about recycling, pointing out the reality that tyre shops found it challenging to dispose of their tyres.
He then asked if the ministry  could adopt a whole-of-government approach, working with other ministries, to ensure all used tyres are collected and recycled? Tyre shop operators frequently complain that waste collection services refuse to collect used tyres, even though your reply shows they can be recycled and reused.

This point by Khoo Poay Tiong highlights the anomaly that local tyre arisings are left uncollected whilst Malaysia imported some 22 million units of ELT, according to the minister.

The Minister responded that the issue lies with regulatory oversight of waste management, which falls not under the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities but under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES).

It happens that there is a plurality of roles between the two ministeries and that gives rise to the possibility of an holistic approach to the problem.

Bridgestone Becomes an Artform

0

Bridgestone tyres were recently featured as art in a UK contemporary exhibition, highlighting the company’s innovative approach

London-based artist Madeleine Ruggi has created a body of work inspired by Bridgestone’s Bulldog retread plant in Bourne, presented in an exhibition titled Soft Landing. The exhibition was available to the public at Palmer Gallery last month and is scheduled for another showing during Frieze Art Fair week in London this October.

The display features a 44-minute immersive sound sculpture called Distress Purchase, two wall-based sculptures, and a print, all incorporating materials from the plant such as retread rubber and audio recordings captured on-site.

In 2024, Madeleine visited Bridgestone’s factory in Lincolnshire, where she toured the facility with members of the team, including plant manager Dan Edwards. The visit provided her with materials, field recordings, and information that contributed to her artistic process.

According to Madeleine, her artistic practice involves utilising industrial materials encountered in manufacturing environments, with the aim of drawing attention to their role in modern life. She noted that her experience at the factory offered insight into production processes, skilled labour, and the structure of materials like tread rubber.

Known for examining elements of global trade infrastructure, including shipping and haulage systems, Ruggi’s work examines industrial contexts and their significance in society.

Andy Mathias, Bridgestone’s Head of Marketing, recognised the collaboration; “To see our products interpreted in this way is a new experience for us and marks the first time Bridgestone’s Bulldog retread materials have been included in a public art installation.”

Soft Landing can be viewed free of charge and will return to London in October during Frieze Art Fair week. Further information will be announced.

For details about the tyre exhibit and Madeleine’s work, visit www.madeleineruggi.com or https://palmergallery.co.uk/exhibitions/26-soft-landing-exhibition-10/overview/.