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Tana Oy Partners with Veneto Schwenter GmbH

Ewan Scott
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Tana Oy Partners with Veneto Schwenter GmbH

Tana Oy has announced a new strategic partnership with Veneto Schwenter GmbH, based in Germany

This collaboration enables Veneto Schwenter to distribute TANA recycling machines across Germany.

Veneto Schwenter is well known for selling and renting high-quality machines from top level manufacturers. They also provide first-class consulting services and have a great experience of machine service and repairs. Veneto Schwenter’s long-term experience in the recycling industry makes them an ideal partner for Tana, enhancing Tana’s presence and service capabilities within the German market.

Nigerian Report Condemns Tyre Recycling Plants

Ewan Scott
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Nigerian Report Condemns Tyre Recycling Plants

A report by a Nigerian researcher has come to damning conclusions about recycling plants in Ogun State

Toxic pollution has reached alarming levels in Ogijo and surrounding communities in Ogun State’s Sagamu Local Government area, with harmful materials detected at levels a thousand times higher than what’s considered safe, according to an investigation by Ojo-Gbenga Nicholas, published in SaharaReporters.

The revelations are shocking and the findings show breaches of several Nigerian environmental laws. It is clear that there needs to be a modernising and better control of tyre recycling in Nigeria. The full report is available here

This pollution has exposed over 11,339 residents to severe contamination, primarily caused by the operations of over 20 foreign companies in the area.

The report claims that the pollution at high levels poses significant health risks, including increased likelihood of respiratory issues, cancer, and other diseases.

The communities are deprived of clean air as they choke under the effect of air that is highly contaminated with carbon dust generated from melting of scraps converted to iron rods, nails, and others through heat by Sundry, and other companies, according to the report

The researchers, on a visit to Ogijo were overwhelmed by the severely polluted air. Upon arriving at the Five Star Junction, a central hub in the community, the air was thick with contaminants, causing irritation and discomfort.

During their stay, the team observed a disturbing phenomenon: black dust generated during industrial production formed a dense, dark cloud that gradually dispersed into the atmosphere, settling as soot on nearby buildings. This toxic haze has become a constant presence in the community.

The Processes That Lead To Black Carbon

Some of the firms in the area use charcoal and firewood to power furnaces filled with disused tyres to produce pyrolysis oil.

The process involved feeding of raw material (waste tyre) into a reactor by full-automatic feeding machine. The reactor will be left with 1/3 space for rotating more smoothly while the door of feeding machine is closed.

The reactor is said to be gently heated by burning the fuel material (coal, wood, natural gas, LPG or tyre oil generated from the last batch). The oil gas will be released when the temperature reaches 100℃.(according to the report).

Heavy oil gas separated by manifold will be liquefied and dropped down into the heavy oil tank. The lighter gas will rise up to the oil condensers, liquefied and stored in the oil tank. 

After fuel oil is produced, the reactor will be allowed to cool down. Carbon black will be discharged automatically when the temperature drops. Some other companies convert steel scrap to different products such as rods, nails, etc. through melting. 

Scrap is usually melted down in an electric arc furnace (EAF), but can also be added to the mix in a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) to control heat in that part of the steelmaking process.

Bilfinger Spearheads Circtec’s Delfzijl Plant Development

Ewan Scott
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Bilfinger Spearheads Circtec’s Delfzijl Plant Development

Bilfinger leads EPCm services for Europe’s largest end-of-life tire pyrolysis recycling plant

Bilfinger has been awarded with comprehensive Engineering, Procurement, and Construction management (EPCm) services for a groundbreaking tyre recycling facility in Delfzijl, the Netherlands, by UK-based technology company Circtec.

Bilfinger has been entrusted with finalising and implementing the facility’s design while seamlessly integrating Circtec’s technology into the whole plant architecture. The industrial services provider’s long-standing experience as an independent system integrator, especially in energy transition contexts, coupled with decades of expertise in the gas and chemicals industries, ensures the highest standards of performance and energy efficiency for the plant. Based on this experience, Bilfinger furthermore provides Circtec with in-house consulting in, for example, safety and regulatory compliance aspects throughout all stages of the implementation. Offering both the integrated consulting services and all the necessary engineering services from a single source, Bilfinger ensures the highest efficiency for the customer.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Circtec to scale out their operations by turning their plant design into a first-class facility. Our expertise in engineering and system integration will ensure this landmark plant operates at peak efficiency, contributing significantly to the sustainability and resource conservation in the Netherlands and across Europe,” says Kevin Pieterse, Vice President Engineering at Bilfinger E&M BeNe.

The Delfzijl plant will operate on a closed-loop system, powered by the gases produced during the recycling process. End-of-life tyres, destined for incineration and export for disposal overseas, will be converted into rubber chips and processed through Circtec’s proprietary CIFRTM pyrolysis system – a process that thermally decomposes waste in an oxygen-free environment, extracting hydrocarbon liquids, gases, and solid char. Post-pyrolysis, the outputs are separated; gases and liquids are cooled, condensed, and refined into Circtec’s HUPATM – a sustainable marine fuel – and circular naphtha, which can be used as recycled petrochemical feedstock in eco-friendly plastics and chemical production. Additionally, the solid char is purified and processed into recovered carbon black for reuse in the production of plastics and rubber products, completing the recycling loop.

“Circtec selected Bilfinger as their EPCm partner carefully, because of Bilfinger’s sectoral expertise in industrial projects in the circular economy and renewable energy spaces, and their commitment to delivering well-run projects within agreed timescales,“ says Allen Timpany, CEO of Circtec.

Upon completion, the Delfzijl facility will be Europe’s largest of its kind, with a capacity to process 200,000 tons of waste tyres annually. This capacity represents approximately 5 per cent of the 3.6 million tons of end-of-life tyres generated in Europe each year, creating CO2 emissions savings through displacement of fossil fuel use equivalent to circa 3 per cent of the emissions from the entire chemical industry sector of the Netherlands.

Tyre Stewardship Australia Taking  a Lead in Recycling

Ewan Scott
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Tyre Stewardship Australia Taking  a Lead in Recycling

Tyre Stewardship Australia has been operating for 10 years, and its annual report covers some of its successes in a comprehensive annual report

The full annual report can be found here.

It is worth noting that, as of today, TSA is not a mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility scheme. It is a voluntary stewardship scheme that has aimed to organically grow by bringing importers of tyres, in all their forms, into the association.

Some observers would imagine that this creates loopholes for the less scrupulous to evade managing their waste tyres, and, to a point that is true. However, those evading the system are reducing in numbers as time passes. TSA is becoming increasingly effective at managing end of life tyres and addresses the challenges it has by highlighting them and driving towards more inclusion – at this stage, without mandatory registration.

Rather than going through the report point by point, Tyre and Rubber Recycling has taken a look at some of the achievements and asks why is there such a differential between Australia and the UK?

Australia is a continent with huge logistics challenges, the UK is a group of small islands with a compact, if busy, logistics network. Australia’s population is 26.7 million, the UK’s is 66.97 million. Naturally, the UK vehicle parc is much larger than that of Australia and as such generates considerably greater volumes of waste tyres. Like Australia, the UK has a voluntary tyre “stewardship” scheme in the Tyre Recovery Association. However, there appears to be a huge differential in the way tyres are handled between the two countries.

In ten years, TSA has committed $10 AUS in funding to 72 projects. It has put $5.6mAUS into 32 road projects, $1.6m AUS into 14 research projects, $1.6m AUS into 11 civil engineering projects, £1.3m AUS into 10 manufacturing and mining projects and $0.7m AUS into five railway projects.

In the past 10 years the UK tyre recovery sector has generally only seen self-funded projects by a few operators with occasional government grants, but none comparable to those issued by the Australian governments, with no financial support from the Tyre Recovery Association. 

Recycling fees in the UK are split between a profit centre for some retailers, and the collection system. There is virtually no governmental support for tyre recycling.

Australia, on the other hand has seen considerable governmental support. Firstly, by the ban on the export of whole tyres. Something that the UK could enact overnight, but persistently refuses to do.  Australia’s ban on the export of whole tyres has seen investment in shredding capacity. Even Indian companies are investing in Australia to ensure the continued supply of feedstock for their domestic operations. The ban on the export of whole tyres has transformed the Australian tyre recycling sector.

However, the government did not just put a ban in place. It recognised that the tyre recycling sector needed support, and it has at national and state level provided funding to ensure that Australian recyclers have the capacity to deal with domestic tyre arisings (although, in some places this remains a challenge – In particular the Northern Territory and in mining areas of New South Wales).

However, as mentioned previously, TSA is a voluntary scheme and after 10 years, participation by tyre importers stands at 57 per cent of the market share. TSA has given itself 3 -4 years to reach a 90 per cent market share participation.

Vehicle manufacturers have not committed to the scheme as they ought to. Every vehicle imported will have a minimum of four tyres, or two in the case of motorcycles, yet only three per cent participated in the scheme in 2024, an actual drop from  seven per cent in the previous year.

Tyre retailer participation also saw a drop from 2023, with only 44 per cent participating in the scheme. However, recyclers stand at around 85 per cent participation.

Interestingly, exports, despite the ban, increased to around 17 per cent of arisings, at 33,500t (shredded tyres). However, the TSA reports that the volume of tyres going to environmentally sound use has recovered after a slight drop in previous years, but still only represents 66 per cent of arisings.

If we come back to the UK comparison, there is no comparable data. The Tyre Recovery Association claims a very high percentage of tyres arising being recovered, but there is no definitive data on exactly where those tyres go. Although Peter Taylor, of the TRA advises that research has been initiated to establish the data in the coming year. And, of course, it is acknowledged by all in the UK that large volumes of UK tyre arisings go to export, often to unknown final destinations.

Perhaps the UK needs to take a leaf out of Australia’s book on tyre recycling. No system is perfect, but the UK needs to look at its options before its tyre recycling sector dies at the hands of exports to India, and a potential flood of cheap tyres from the Far East as a result of the UK not being a party to EUDR regulations.

Vaculug Ventures Invests in Heru Technologies

Ewan Scott
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Vaculug Ventures Invests in Heru Technologies

Vaculug Ventures is proud to announce its investment in Heru Technologies £1.8million financing round as part of its ongoing #SustainableThinking campaign

This strategic investment highlights Vaculug Ventures’ dedication to advancing sustainability and innovation, in line with its mission to make a lasting environmental impact.

Heru Technologies shares Vaculug’s commitment to sustainability with its groundbreaking approach to reducing waste and emissions. Using advanced pyrolysis, HERU’s technology transforms everyday waste into energy, enabling users to lower their carbon footprint while cutting energy costs. Heru Technologies is currently raising funds to expand access to this innovative solution, helping households and businesses worldwide transition to greener, more sustainable practices.

Vaculug Ventures’ #SustainableThinking campaign focuses on supporting and investing in technologies that promote environmental change. Heru Technologies’ goal of reducing waste and minimising global emissions aligns perfectly with Vaculug’s values, making this partnership a natural fit.

“At Vaculug Ventures, we recognise the importance of supporting innovative solutions that help reduce waste and drive meaningful environmental progress,” said Jeffrey Evans, Head of M&A at Zenises Group. “Our investment in Heru Technologies represents our commitment to championing solutions that tackle some of the most pressing sustainability challenges. HERU’s technology is a game changer, and we’re excited to support their expansion and positive impact on the environment.”

This partnership between Vaculug Ventures and Heru Technologies seeks to accelerate the adoption of sustainable energy solutions and contribute to a more sustainable future for all.

Pyrolysis Protest in Swansea

Ewan Scott
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Pyrolysis Protest in Swansea

Plans for a pyrolysis plant in Swansea have creates a surge of objections to the proposed recycling plant

Tyregen UK Ltd has plans for an 8,000tpa pyrolysis plant in Swansea. In an outrage so typical  when pyrolysis is mentioned, local objections to the plan have been piling up.

Gowerton councillor Susan Jones said people had contacted her about the proposed installation and that “all are against”.

Swansea council is considering a permit application from the company, but permission is already in place to process waste tyres and plastics at the site.

Tyregen UK Ltd said some of the gas captured as part of the process would be reused at the plant at Westfield Industrial Estate in Waunarlwydd, with the remainder treated before being released into the atmosphere via a chimney stack.

Waunarlwydd councillor Wendy Lewis said: “We are a city who pride ourselves on pollution control and this would be hideous for us in Waunarlwydd.”

She said the proposed unit would be near a nursing home, school and an accommodation complex for older people, and feared people would be stuck indoors for days in the event of a fire.

A Gowerton resident said the area already experienced significant traffic congestion and that more and more new homes were being built.

At the recent Tyre recovery Association Annual Forum, one of the topics discussed was the lack of support in the UK for the recycling sector. Somehow it is deemed more environmentally friendly to ship waste halfway around the world for processing in less than satisfactory conditions, than it is to do so safely in the UK and build up self-reliance in recycling.

Modern European standard pyrolysis plants are not huge polluters but NIMBYism keeps putting barriers in the way of developing successful British industries – and in the case of Swansea, creating jobs in a post industrial area much in need of jobs.

Neusus and Tiresol Support the León 2024 Nordic Walking Cup

Ewan Scott
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Neusus and Tiresol Support the León 2024 Nordic Walking Cup

Recently, the final of the León 2024 Nordic Walking Cup took place, an event that has stood out not only for the sporting competition, but also for its firm commitment to sustainability

The tournament’s organisation has put the focus on environmental responsibility as one of its fundamental pillars, offering an innovative proposal: the trophies given to the winners of each category have been made from recycled rubber, a choice that reinforces the symbiosis between sport and sustainability.

In a gesture full of symbolism, the winners of the higher categories received the “Twist” trophy, an elegant piece inspired by the famous Turning Torso skyscraper in Malmö, which evokes the dynamics and movement of the competition. For their part, the youngest were awarded with the “Pocket Pawns”, small figures that, beyond their playful design, underline the importance of instilling ecological values ​​from an early age. The awards were made from recycled rubber by Neusus.

Sustainability was not limited only to the recycled rubber trophies at the León2024 Nordic Walking Cup, but also materialised in an innovative advance in sports footwear. Several of the participating women, including the winner of the competition, wore a pioneering proposal in their shoes: the León brand Tiresoul offered them a resoling with soles made from recycled rubber from Neusus, an initiative that aims to mark a before and after in the use of recycled materials within the sports footwear sector.

This collaboration between Neusus, Tiresoul and the participants underlines a double objective. On the one hand, it promotes the use of sustainable materials, showing how waste can be transformed into valuable resources for the industry. On the other hand, the initiative seeks to highlight the technical advantages that recycled rubber offers over other traditional materials: greater resistance to wear, excellent grip on different surfaces, ergonomics that reduce athlete fatigue and superior durability, qualities that make it especially suitable for sports such as Nordic walking.

Tiresoul’s commitment to recycled soles not only responds to an increasing demand for sustainability, but also puts the capacity of this material to compete in terms of performance with more conventional options at the centre of the debate. In addition, the fact that one of the tournament winners used these shoes reinforces confidence in recycled rubber as a high-quality alternative.

This advance, which combines sport and sustainable innovation, reflects a growing commitment within the footwear industry to adopt more environmentally friendly solutions without compromising performance. In this way, the León 2024 Nordic Walking Cup was consolidated as a benchmark in the promotion of a sport in harmony with the environment, setting a precedent in the organisation of tournaments that are more conscious and respectful of the environment.

Pyrum Innovations AG Publishes 2024 H1 Figures

Ewan Scott
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Pyrum Innovations AG Publishes 2024 H1 Figures

Pyrum Innovations AG has published its consolidated financial report for the period from 1 January to 30 June 2024

The company’s half-year results and financial position continued to be largely characterised by investments at the company’s headquarters in Dillingen/Saar and for orders of plant components with long delivery times for the new site in Perl-Besch, as well as investments in personnel expansion and the further development of the organisational structure. In addition, the throughput volumes in the rCB pellet plant were still below target.

Pascal Klein, CEO of Pyrum Innovations AG said; “We look back on an exciting and successful first half of the year at Pyrum. Our industrial-scale plant is finally in operation and the start-up phase of the new TAD 2 and TAD 3 production lines has been successful. This lays the foundation for our future development. We are currently doing everything we can to ensure that TAD 2 and 3 can soon go into continuous operation, which will also be reflected in the figures in the future. In addition, the focus is on financing further expansion.“

Sales in the first six months were EUR 708 thousand, up 41.3 per cent on the same period of the previous year (EUR 501 thousand). With the expansion and optimisation of the plant in Dillingen progressing according to plan, own work capitalised amounted to EUR 3,614 thousand (H1 2023: EUR 7,613 thousand). The decline corresponds to the lower cost of materials required to produce own work capitalised as the level of completion of the plant expansion in Dillingen increases.

As expected, total output fell by around 44 per cent year-on-year to EUR 4,536 thousand (H1 2023: EUR 8,155 thousand) due to a lower volume of own work that can be capitalised. Other operating income more than doubled year-on-year to EUR 800 thousand (H1 2023: EUR 356 thousand). This was due to investment grants of EUR 531 thousand (EUR 151 thousand) for the creation of jobs in Dillingen resulting from the plant expansion. The consolidated net result for the period amounted to EUR -4,787 thousand (H1 2023: EUR -4,408 thousand). Available liquidity increased to EUR 9,502 thousand as of 30 June 2024 (31 December 2023: EUR 4,483 thousand) due to the payment of two further loan tranches from BASF for the construction of the plant in Perl-Besch.

As a result of lower costs, the company expects earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of between EUR -10.0 million and EUR -12.0 million for 2024, which is slightly above the previously expected range of EUR -11.0 million to EUR -13.0 million.

As a result of the pelletising plant’s throughput being lower than planned, the company predicts that sales will not meet the original forecast until the fourth quarter. Consequently, sales for the year as a whole are now expected to be between EUR 1.9 million and EUR 2.4 million (originally EUR 3.0 million to EUR 4.0 million). In addition, total output is also expected to be lower than planned at approx. EUR 10 million (originally between EUR 25 million and EUR 30 million). Contrary to planning, no plant purchase contract has yet been signed, as despite progress on the projects, no approval procedure necessary for a final investment decision has yet been completed. In this respect, the company is dependent on the processing times of the approval authorities.

In addition, there will also be a change in the composition of Pyrum’s Executive Board. When his contract expires on 15 October 2024, Michael Kapf will no longer serve as a member of the company’s Executive Board for personal reasons. However, after his departure, he will remain with Pyrum Innovations AG as an employee and will continue to be primarily responsible for the company’s IT.

Alf Schmidt, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Pyrum Innovations AG, thanks Michael Kapf on behalf of the entire Supervisory Board; ‘We are extremely grateful to Michael Kapf for his dedicated and successful work over the past years since the company was founded. He has played a decisive role in making Pyrum a leading company in the field of tyre thermolysis. We are very pleased that he will remain with the company as an employee even after his departure from the Executive Board and will continue to contribute his expertise.”

After Michael Kapf’s departure, the Executive Board of Pyrum Innovations AG will consist of CEO Pascal Klein and CFO Kai Winkelmann. Pyrum considers itself very well positioned to continue its growth course, given the current size of the company.

The Group Interim Report for the first half of 2024 of Pyrum Innovations AG is available on the company’s website.

Eagle International Parent Company, Brehmer Mfg., Inc. Celebrates 50 Years

Ewan Scott
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Eagle International Parent Company, Brehmer Mfg., Inc. Celebrates 50 Years

Brehmer Mfg., Inc., a manufacturer specialising in fertilizer, hog, and tyre recycling equipment, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with an Open House event

The Brehmer event will take place on Friday, October 4, 2024. The public is invited to tour the plant, visit with workers, and learn about the company and its products.

Since its founding in 1974, Brehmer Mfg. has grown from four employees in a 1,500-squarefoot, former olive factory to almost 60,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 45 fulltime employees, building a variety of agricultural and tyre-recycling equipment. 

In 1991, the company was approached by a newly formed business known as Tire Resource Systems. They were charged to design and build the first product of what would become Eagle International Tire Recycling Equipment. This hydraulic-powered tyre shear, the TruCut, hit the market in 1994 and led to the development of other shears, sidewall cutters, derimmers, and debeaders capable of processing tyres up to 59/80R63.

Founded by Rey Brehmer, Brehmer Mfg. has remained a family business. Son and current President Joe Brehmer took over the reins in 1998 after Rey’s retirement, bringing in brother Jamie as the company’s Vice President. Younger brother Chad joined the family business later in 2012. Sadly, Rey passed away in 2015, leaving a legacy of hard work, integrity, and innovation within the company.

The next generation of Brehmers has started making an impact on the business as well. Brothers Ryan and Alex Brehmer, the current Vice President, joined the company in 2015 and 2019, respectively. 

In 2017, Brehmer acquired Eagle International Tire Recycling Equipment, expanding their global presence by building a network of dealerships. They continued to grow by developing a highly sought after line of fertilizer tenders and a patented line of hog feeders for commercial growers. 

“It’s hard to believe that it has been 50 years,” observes Joe Brehmer. “Our success would not have been possible without the dedication of the men and women who have worked here. The amazing support we got from our customers and vendors made this journey very special.” 

As Brehmer Mfg. celebrates its 50th anniversary, the spirit of innovation that Rey Brehmer instilled in the company continues to thrive. The company continues to build products that create a lasting impact, growing from humble beginnings to a global company with products in 27 countries. 

REDISA to Challenge IWTMP in South Africa

Ewan Scott
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REDISA to Challenge IWTMP in South Africa

Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa – Redisa has approached the Pretoria High Court to review and set aside government’s Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan (IWTMP)

Redisa believes that the IWTMP will have detrimental environmental outcomes.

“The plan infringes on the rights of South Africans to a conserved and protected environment, as enshrined in the Constitution. The plan was approved by the previous Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy in March, but it is an unlawful, irrational, unreasonable and procedurally unfair administrative action,” the entity says in a statement.

“We have taken this step as last resort. Nobody wants to be part of expensive and protracted legal battles, but a continuation of the course this plan sets for the management of waste tyres would be disastrous,” comments CEO Hermann Erdmann.

“In the highly-unlikely event that it is successfully implemented, it would have destructive socioeconomic consequences,” the organisation posits.

Redisa states that the plan sets unachievable and unrealistic targets, did not use the information and projections that were available, and lacks any budgetary detail, such as failing to usefully incorporate the Waste Tyre Levy.

Redisa points out that using recycling to create new markets to absorb the new products, which is pivotal to a circular economy, does not feature in the IWTMP.

“As a country, we produce at least 170 000 t/y of waste tyres. They end up in landfills, storage facilities, left all over our landscape and are often burned informally to get scrap steel, which is then sold. The toxins and pollutants that waste tyres release when improperly burned poison the air, water and soil,” Erdmann explains.

“If, in this context, a new and dysfunctional waste tyre plan is to be implemented, the consequences will be terrible. Regardless of legal processes, we wish to engage with all stakeholders who are interested in avoiding further ecological damage arising from waste tyres,” Erdmann explains.

From 2013 to 2017, Redisa managed waste tyres in South Africa. During this tenure, it built 22 tyre collection centres, employed over 3 000 people, created 226 small waste enterprises and offset 59 000 t of CO2 emissions, the entity highlights.  

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