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Pakistan Closes Four Pyrolysis Plants

Ewan Scott
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Pakistan Closes Four Pyrolysis Plants

The Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the Taxila administration, undertook the demolition of four illegally operated pyrolysis plants in the Margalla Hills

Official sources confirmed that these facilities were not only in violation of anti-smog regulations but also posed significant environmental risks.

As part of the “Smog-Free Punjab” initiative, Assistant Director EPA Shahzeera Mariyam led the operation alongside her team. The primary objective was to safeguard the environment of Taxila—an area of historical significance—and to encourage ecotourism.

Addressing the media, Assistant Director Mariyam reiterated that tyre pyrolysis plants are prohibited under the Punjab Environmental Protection (Prevention and Control of Smog) Rules, 2023. She emphasized that EPA Punjab maintains a policy of prompt and stringent action against those who violate environmental standards, particularly anti-smog provisions.

Mariyam further stated the agency’s commitment to preserving Taxila’s ancient heritage. She highlighted the detrimental effects of toxic emissions from pyrolysis operations, which contribute to air pollution and smog, pose health hazards, and threaten both the ecosystem of the Margalla Hills and the archaeological remnants of the Gandhara civilization. Additionally, these emissions jeopardize the well-being of thousands of students in the nearby Education City.

Assistant Commissioner Zaryab Sajid Kamboh, also speaking to the press, affirmed that violations of environmental law would be met with strict enforcement. He noted that ongoing crackdowns target water wastage by households and service stations, non-zigzag brick kilns, and vehicles emitting excessive smoke—all contributors to environmental decline.

He added that the EPA, supported by local administration and law enforcement agencies, continues to conduct comprehensive operations across the region using heavy machinery.

TNU Aligns with EuRIC on Recycling

Ewan Scott
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TNU Aligns with EuRIC on Recycling

TNU and AER (Spanish Association of Recycled Tyres) support the “EU Recyclers’ Manifesto for a Competitive Tyre Recycling Sector,” published by EuRIC, the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation. The document proposes key measures to return valuable raw materials to the circular economy and strengthen the sector’s competitiveness

Current Situation in the European Union

Each year, more than 5 million tonnes of tyres are produced in the EU, of which around 3 million become end-of-life tyres (ELTs).

Thanks to the ban on landfilling tyres, in force since 2006 under the Landfill Directive, the development of modern collection and sorting systems has been encouraged. However, only 50% of ELTs are recycled in Europe. The remaining half is used for energy recovery—meaning that for every tyre recycled, another is incinerated.

Proposals from the Manifesto

The EuRIC manifesto recommends key actions to improve ELT management: set mandatory recycled content targets for tyres and car parts, ban exports of untreated ELTs outside the EU, harmonize End-of-Waste criteria, encourage tyre eco-design, implement a Digital Product Passport for better traceability, and ensure laws support recycled material use. These proposals align with TNU and AER’s support for a circular economy, which includes promoting retreaded tyres, material recovery from ELTs, and new uses for recycled rubber like pyrolysis.

Mechanical Recycling: The Priority Option

Mechanical recycling is the primary method for processing tyres, with shredding preferred over incineration unless recycling is not feasible. Transforming tyres into rubber granules can reduce CO₂ emissions by 58.4% compared to incineration and cut the carbon footprint by up to 95% versus new materials. The Circular Economy Act aims to increase recycled material demand and unify the waste market. Recyclers play a crucial role in advancing the circular economy, cutting emissions, and reducing reliance on virgin resources, thereby supporting the EU’s strategic autonomy and generating both economic and environmental benefits within Europe.

Spain: Challenges and Opportunities

In Spain, all ELTs generated in 2023 were collected, with over 299,000 tonnes processed by the authorised systems. However, use of recycled materials like rubber granules remains low. The main challenge is to ensure these materials are effectively used in industry, public works, and other sectors.

The Automotive Sector Challenge

Although the automotive sector uses 65% of all rubber, it is not required to use recycled rubber. Technological advances now allow at least 10% recycled rubber in new tyres and 20% in OEM automotive rubber parts. EuRIC urges the European Commission to set minimum targets for post-consumer recycled content, backed by existing capacity and technologies like micronized rubber powder.

Eco-Design: Key to Recycling

A key aspect of the manifesto is designing products for recycling, based on strong eco-design standards. With the ESPR effective from July 2024, products in the EU must be sustainable and recyclable by design. For tyres, this means reviewing materials to enable reuse, repair, and recycling. Currently, features like acoustic foams and self-sealing technologies make recycling harder due to low identifiability and increased shredding and fire risks.

Call to Public Authorities

In this context, TNU and AER call on local, regional, national, and European public authorities to:
• Establish tax incentives for the use of recycled materials,
• Support a legal framework that ensures recycled materials have an outlet, value, and recognition in the market,
• Promote reduced VAT rates for recycled materials and products made from them, and
• Back initiatives through Green Public Procurement (GPP).

“The EuRIC manifesto presents clear solutions. It is essential to promote the use of recycled rubber and prevent resources from leaving Europe only to be incinerated. We fully agree on the need to move toward a more coherent and sustainable model,” says TNU.

As a collective extended producer responsibility scheme, TNU will continue working with the sector, public administrations, and national (AER – Spanish Association of Recycled Tyres) and European platforms (such as EuRIC and AZUR – European Retreading Network, among others) to defend a model based on reuse, recycling, and responsible use of raw materials, and to promote policies that prioritise efficient resource use, industrial innovation, and the closing of material loops within the EU.

Registrations Open! Round Trip 2025

Ewan Scott
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Registrations Open! Round Trip 2025

Join key players across Australia and New Zealand for the Tyre & Conveyor Belt Recycling Summit, 15-16 October, Melbourne

This landmark summit is focused on tyre and conveyor belt recycling, hosted by Tyre Stewardship Australia and Tyrewise New Zealand.

Over two days, manufacturers, recyclers, innovators, policymakers, and global industry stakeholders will connect to share ideas, explore global technologies, and uncover real-world market and infrastructure opportunities.

Expect engaging keynotes, expert panels, and powerful networking moments – all aimed at boosting tyre recovery, market growth, and innovation in tyre-derived products.

The MC will be BAFTA-winning BBC UK journalist and author, Paul Kenyon. Paul recently reported ‘The Tyre Scandal’ for BBC File on 4 Investigates programme, and we’re delighted to have Paul in Melbourne for the Summit.

Who should attend?

  • Recyclers, collectors and processors.
  • Retailers, mechanics and auto wreckers.
  • Associations and members.
  • Local Governments, landfill and transfer station operators.
  • Government policymakers from Australia and New Zealand.
  • Waste operators.
  • Rubber manufacturers.
  • Environment Protection Authorities from Australia and New Zealand.
  • Other product stewardship schemes.
  • Brokers.
  • Road contractors.

Join us at the Round Trip 2025 Summit and let’s work together to advance a circular economy for tyres and conveyor belts.

Event Location

NTRO, Port Melbourne

Tickets & Registration

Tickets cost $100 AUD for the full two-day Summit and networking drinks on both days. 

Seats are limited, so we encourage you to register early to secure your place.

Find out more and register here.

Orion S.A. to Rationalise Production

Ewan Scott
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Orion S.A. to Rationalise Production

Orion, a global specialty chemicals company, will discontinue production on three to five carbon black lines at various sites in the Americas and EMEA regions by the end of 2025

Orion CEO Corning Painter stated this move aims to focus resources on more efficient lines and improve cash flow. He noted that although tariffs and anti-dumping investigations may aid local tyre manufacturing, uncertainty about recovery timing led to this decision.

Liquitech CauchoGoma – Roofing from Recycled Rubber

Ewan Scott
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Liquitech CauchoGoma – Roofing from Recycled Rubber

Liquitech CauchoGoma is an Argentinian development utilising recycled tyre rubber

As the world turns to sustainability and circularity, innovative alternatives are emerging that turn waste into useful outputs. One example is Liquitech CauchoGoma, a waterproofing agent for roofs and exterior surfaces made from recycled rubber tyres, developed by the Argentinian company MERCLIN.

“What used to be waste is now part of sustainable solutions applicable to coverings and surfaces exposed to the elements,” explains Ariel Maya, the company’s CEO.

The process includes of manufacturing the roofing sealant involves the collection of discarded tyres by recyclers who micronise and homogenise the rubber. It is then blended with acrylic resins and polyurethanes to create a weather resistant, walkable, and highly adhesive product.

For every 100 m² of waterproofing, between 150 and 200 kg of tyres are processed, preventing them from contaminating the environment.

Liquitech Cauchogoma 2

The product adheres firmly to various surfaces:

–Concrete, metal, wood, asphalt membranes, and previous coatings
– Applied with a brush, roller, or trowel

– Forms a continuous, flexible, non-slip, and weather-resistant film

With an estimated performance of 1–1.5 kg per m² and drying times between 4 and 24 hours, the product offers a competitive solution for both private homes and industrial facilities. Its lifespan **exceeds 10 years.

Liquitech CauchoGoma reduces the use of petroleum-derived materials
– Avoids polluting emissions from the decomposition or burning of rubber
– Reduces health risks, such as mosquito breeding in abandoned tyres
– Improves thermal and acoustic insulation: in light tones, reduces interior temperature by up to 20%
– Its flexibility withstands structural movements and extreme weather conditions

Recycled rubber: a growing option in architecture

– The waterproofing segment represents 18% of the architectural paint market
– Rubber-based products already account for 7% of total waterproofing, and their use is growing due to their versatility, efficiency, and ecological profile.

TNU Sponsors the 4th Jornadas Iberoamericanas del Reciclaje

Ewan Scott
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TNU Sponsors the 4th Jornadas Iberoamericanas del Reciclaje

TNU has confirmed its participation as an institutional sponsor in the 4th Jornadas Iberoamericanas del Reciclaje, which will be held from November 12 to 14, 2025, at the Ágora Bogotá Convention Centre, Colombia

The Jornadas Iberoamericanas del Reciclaje is a key meeting point for experts and professionals in the sector, offering an ideal space to discuss technological, regulatory, and management solutions related to the recycling of end-of-life tyres (ELT).

As part of the XVII Latin American Rubber Technology Conference, these sessions will include technical, scientific, and commercial presentations on:

• Management of ELT in Latin America

• Legislation and new regulations

• Innovation in materials

• Recycling technologies

• Tyre retreading

• Use of ELT in asphalt mixtures

• Management of end-of-life mining OTR tyres

This biennial event brings together science, industry, and government with a common goal: to promote environmental sustainability through responsible recycling. It also facilitates the creation of collaborative networks and the exchange of knowledge among industry stakeholders.

Courtesy of the Latin American Rubber Technology Society (SLTC), attendees can benefit from a 10% discount on registration by using the code TNU1025 through the official website: https://jornadasbogota.com/reciclaje/.

TNU Discount Code

The management of ELT represents a major global challenge, both in technological, economic, and environmental terms. Each year, approximately 19 million tons of tyres are generated globally, of which more than 800 million units are discarded. Given this situation, it is essential to identify emerging trends, foster innovation, and promote the development of efficient solutions that improve ELT management systems.

TNU is pleased to be part of the Jornadas Iberoamericanas del Reciclaje 2025 and, through this collaboration, contribute to the advancement of the tyre recycling industry.

TRA Briefing Day 2025

Ewan Scott
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TRA Briefing Day 2025

This year’s TRA  Briefing Day event will take place on Tuesday 16th September 2025

The annual TRA Briefing day will once again take place in September, this time at the Ardencote Hotel conveniently located in Warwickshire’s Shakespeare country, which has the capacity to accommodate ever increasing attendance numbers at the UK tyre recycling’s premier event.

Speakers in the outline programme are as follows:

• KEYNOTE ADDRESS Georgia Elliott-Smith, CEO, Fighting Dirty – the organisation that has made a legal challenge to DeFRA on the export of ELT

 • MARKET AND DATA INSIGHTS Astutus Research – with the latest insight into tyre arisings and outcomes

• TACKLING ILLEGAL WASTE SHIPMENTS The EA National Environmental Crime Unit will hopefully be updating the industry on the status of the removal of the T8

 • PROPECTS FOR PYROLYSIS – THE UPDATE Weibold Consulting – with the latest on the growing pyrolysis sector

 • OPPORTUNITIES FOR RUBBERISED ASPHALT The European View – Presented by Costis Keridis from ETRA’

• A NEW FUTURE FOR RETREADING Vaculug Tyres  – Retreading has to be a part of the circular economy and in CV tyres is key to lower whole life costs

• SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL – A MAJOR ELT OPPORTUNITY Wastefront Limited – The up and coming Sunderland plant should make a big impact on the UK waste tyre sector.

• POINTS OF VIEW

 • RESOLVING THE EXPORT PROBLEM George Eustice, Penbroath Consultants

The event is open to TRA members, the media and those involved in tyre recovery and recycling.

This year’s event should hopefully be bringing news about changes to legislation that had previously been proposed – such as the ending of the T8 (2017), and the changes to the Carriers, Brokers and Dealers regulations (2024), not to mention news perhaps of the delayed implementation of the digital waste tracking system.

Gumiimpex-GRP – From a Small Tyre Repair Shop to a Regional Tyre Recycling Leader

Naida Jahić
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Gumiimpex-GRP – From a Small Tyre Repair Shop to a Regional Tyre Recycling Leader

Established in 1970 in Varazdin, Croatia, Gumiimpex-GRP began its story as a small tyre repair workshop. Throughout the years, a small family business has grown into a regional tyre recycling leader

Today, Gumiimpex-GRP is a key player in the tyre industry in Croatia and the region. The company is the only recycler in the country doing material recovery, making it a true circular economy company with activities in many connected areas.

The company’s significant expansion began in 2003, when they built a new facility to store tyres and produce rubber materials. In 2011, the company further expanded its facility in Trnovac Bartolovecki. A couple of years later, in 2011, the company invested in the compounding line. Since 2014, Gumiimpex-GRP has owned a mixer for crude rubber compounds, manufacturing their own compounds of various rubber materials.

Five years later in 2016, the company built a new tyre dealership in Zagreb and in 2017, they opened a new logistics centre, expanding their production area and making new investments in the manufacturing process.

Apart from being the country’s leading tyre supplier for various kinds of vehicles, Gumiimpex-GRP has put sustainable development to the core of its business and today, the company produces more than 7,000 rubber technical products, including conveyor belts and multi-layer drive belts, GASKET and SEAL JET flat seals, polyurethane products, and more, using its own compound in the production process.

Gumiimpex-GRP also operates a retreading plant which works with Goodyear as a Goodyear Authorised Retreader (GAR), using the NEXT TREAD tyre retreading system, making it the only NEXT TREAD partner in Croatia. The company also works with Michelin, using the RECAMIC tyre retreading system and is also the only RECAMIC partner in Croatia.

It is safe to say that Croatia has one of the best waste tyre recycling systems in Europe, introduced in 2006, which helps recycle more than 90% of used tyres for material recovery. This number surpasses the national target of 80%. In 2020 alone, almost 28.5 tonnes of tyres were put in the Croatian market, with 88% of those collected and 83% processed. As much as 96% of the processed tyres were used for material recovery.

When it comes to tyre recycling at Gumiimpex-GRP, the story began in 2005 when the company became the first company in Croatia to recycle waste car tyres, with a goal to reduce the environmental impact while reusing rubber properties. The company is currently the only company in Croatia that does mechanical recycling.

The company’s tyre recycling facility produces wheels made from recycled tyres, rubber tiles, wet pour flooring and rubber granulate and mulch. The majority of these products are further exported throughout Europe, including the UK, Switzerland, Germany, etc.

Funding to Grow Market for Recycled Tyres

Ewan Scott
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Funding to Grow Market for Recycled Tyres

New Zealand’s Tyrewise has announced funding to help develop markets for recycled tyre materials

In a move that exemplifies how recycling fees should be used for the benefit of the industry and the environment, Tyrewise has announced a round of funding to help grow interest in tyre derived materials.

Innovators, investors and change makers are being called on to put their best ideas forward as a substantial investment in funding becomes available to develop the market for tyre-derived recycled rubber material, and create economic value from Aotearoa New Zealand’s worn-out tyres.

Tyrewise is looking for initial expressions of interest in its inaugural grant funding round. Expressions of interest are open in this first round from 1 July to 29 July 2025. Up to $7 million will be available over three rounds in a financial year.

Mark Gilbert, Chair of Auto Stewardship New Zealand

Tyrewise works with the whole industry to ensure tyres are collected for recycling or repurposing. The scheme is achieving a high collection rate and is now focussing on developing high-value, best use recycling and repurposing solutions for the tyres, says Mark Gilbert, Chair of Auto Stewardship New Zealand that governs the Tyrewise scheme.

“To enable this goal, Tyrewise is providing contestable funding to help develop end markets for the recycled rubber material from tyres in New Zealand,” Gilbert says.

Tyrewise has a goal of 80%, of our end-of-life tyres to be recycled and repurposed into new products in New Zealand by its fourth year of operation, and over 90% by its sixth year.

“Tyres are a versatile resource that can be turned into many products or used in a number of processes, such as roading, playground surfacing, as a substitute for aggregate, or even earthquake-proofing buildings. The market in New Zealand isn’t currently big enough though to take all the recycled rubber from tyres which are collected, so the aim of the fund is to stimulate the development of new products and markets here says Adele Rose, Tyrewise Scheme Managers, 3R Group”

Tyrewise’s Adele Rose

The fund is structured into three main ‘streams’ – research and development, emerging markets, and community development. “This allows funding to back projects across the spectrum of the typical phases of product development,” Rose says.

To be eligible for funding, applicants must be a registered New Zealand business, research institute, or university, ideally have been operating for at least 12 months, and have satisfactory environmental, safety and financial performance, among other criteria.

“This is a call for expressions of interest. Once we have assessed them, we will ask for a more formal, detailed application,” Rose adds. “Kiwis are innovators by nature, so we’re excited to see what ideas are out there to create a circular economy for tyres here at home.”

MICHELIN and Murfitts Industries Announce Project

Ewan Scott
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MICHELIN and Murfitts Industries Announce Project

Michelin and Murfitts Industries have announced a new project to process end-of-life tyres – recovering the energy and materials within them

As part of the project Murfitts, the UK’s largest tyre recycling company, has submitted plans for a materials recovery facility at Michelin’s tyre plant in Stoke-on-Trent.

The cutting-edge process developed by Murfitts will generate energy which will be used to power Michelin’s production on site, thereby lowering CO2 emissions from the factory by 1,500 tonnes per year. In addition to the energy recovered, the process will also produce recovered carbon black (rCB) and tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO).

The project will see Michelin supply Murfitts with 12,500 tonnes of end-of-life tyres per year, the equivalent of 1.35 million car tyres. For context, the plant’s capacity would be more than enough to reprocess a pair of tyres from each of the 602,000 cars currently registered in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

Murfitts reprocesses around 20 million end-of-life tyres annually producing materials for a wide range of applications including sports surfaces and modified asphalt. Over recent years it has developed processes to recover tyre materials in forms that can be ultimately used in the production of new tyres, thus contributing to the circular economy.

The new plant will use those processes at a commercial scale to recover the raw materials through pyrolysis.  The rCB produced can be used for a wide range of products, including new tyres, and the TPO can be used for other materials and for alternative fuels, reducing the need for virgin petroleum feedstock.

Mark Murfitt, founder of Murfitts Industries, said: “We believe this plant could be a breakthrough in the life cycle of a tyre. It moves tyre recycling on from recovering energy and material for other uses to being able to feed it directly back into factories for new tyre production. 

“Our core ethos at Murfitts has always been that end-of-life tyres are a valuable resource and we need to do all we can to maximise the use of the energy and materials within them.  We have been developing our pyrolysis process for a number of years and our results now show we can produce material from end-of-life tyres which can perform better than the virgin equivalent for some applications. This plant will be a win-win for the tyre industry, the local and national economy and the environment.”

The process also produces steam which will be supplied directly to the Michelin factory. This will replace the natural gas currently used to create steam for the curing phase of tyre production, reducing the need for fossil fuels.

Christina Peloquin, Site Director at Michelin UK, said; “This is a really exciting project which reduces our environmental impact at the same time as helping us stay competitive by lowering our energy costs. The team has worked exceptionally hard on this project, and we’re looking forward to welcoming Murfitts to our Stoke-on-Trent site.”

Maria Röttger, CEO and President of Michelin Europe North said; “At Michelin, we see every challenge as a chance to lead positive change—and end-of-life tyres are no exception. As shapers, innovators, and pioneers of sustainable mobility, Michelin is committed to transforming the way tyres are handled at every stage of their life cycle. Through our deep expertise and forward-thinking approach, we are co-building a robust recycling ecosystem that redefines what has previously been possible. This project with Murfitts Industries is a powerful reflection of Michelin’s enduring commitment to sustainability and responsible leadership in the tyre and rubber industry”. The facility is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026. 

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