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Marubeni Invests in Thailand Recycling Company

Ewan Scott
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Marubeni Invests in Thailand Recycling Company

Japanese trading house Marubeni has invested in Green Rubber Energy in Thailand

Green Rubber Energy has seen the Japanese investors take a 32 per cent share in the business. The investment is estimated at 1 billion yen ($7 million).

Marubeni understands Green Rubber Energy’s pyrolysis technology will attract tyre manufacturers seeking to cut carbon emissions over their entire product life cycle.

This is a further indication of a sea-change in the market that has, for so long, eschewed pyrolysis. This investment adds to the growing understanding of the future of both tyre recycling and tyre pyrolysis.

With proprietary temperature, pressure and other conditions, Green Rubber Energy’s technology can reclaim carbon black with an impurity content of less than 20 per cent, claimed to be a higher quality than its competitors.

The technology already delivers recovered carbon black that meets joint specifications proposed by Bridgestone and Michelin, according to Marubeni. But the Thai affiliate can bring down the ratio of impurities below 4% by using a technology from a German company that Marubeni also has a stake in.

The investment will help Green Rubber Energy boost production from 10,000 tpa, to 15,000tpa according to the press release.  There are also plans to build further plants in Japan and Indonesia.

Synergy Tyres Second Court Case

Ewan Scott
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Synergy Tyres Second Court Case

Two people have been sentenced after pleading guilty to running an illegal waste tyre site in Daventry, Northamptonshire, following an investigation into Synergy Tyres by the EA

Andrew Eyre, 55, of Poppy Field Road, Wootton, Northampton, and Nimesh Patel, 52, of Jasper Walk, Northampton, received suspended sentences at Northampton Crown Court on 3 September 2024.

The duo were running a waste tyre site, Synergy Tyres (Midland) Ltd., at Broad March Industrial Estate without an environmental permit. Tyres were stored in an unsafe manner, creating a significant fire risk and therefore a high pollution risk.

From February 2020, Environment Agency officers inspected the site multiple times over the course of a year. Each time they witnessed huge amounts of tyres that exceeded the legal limit. Paperwork obtained by the Environment Agency showed that waste tyres were continuously delivered to the site throughout the year. Andrew Eyre was the sole Director of the company with Nimesh Patel having day-to-day control of the site.

Shipping records showed that large shipments of tyres were being sent to India on a regular basis, far exceeding the allowed limit. The investigation found the 40-tonne weekly limit for the storage or treatment of waste tyres was exceeded in 52 out of the 59 weeks analysed.

At each visit, Environment Agency officers gave clear instructions on the actions required by the site to comply with environmental regulations. During an inspection on 26 February 2021, it was clear the site had not been brought into compliance, so Andrew Eyre and Nimesh Patel were arrested.

Sentencing the pair, HHJ Lucking KC said that they had been reckless and had displayed wilful blindness. She found that the risk of tyre fires at the site presented a serious risk of pollution to the environment. Had a fire started at the site, it would have placed fire-fighters and site-users at risk of serious harm from “a cocktail of hazardous chemicals.”

She sentenced Andrew Eyre to 18 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, on condition that he complete 30 days of Rehabilitation Activities. Nimesh Patel, who had been the Operations Manager at the site, was sentenced to 14 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, on condition that he perform 80 hours of unpaid work.

Synergy Tyres (Midland) Ltd. had previously been fined and Andrew Eyre received a suspended sentence in January 2020 for operating the same waste tyre facility without an environmental permit. However, the company continued to offend in spite of this.

The case has been adjourned for consideration of the recovery of the proceeds of crime, as well as recovery of the Environment Agency’s costs. 

Yvonne Daly, Environment Manager for the Environment Agency, said; “Not only do we use environmental law to prosecute those who abuse the environment, but we also use the Proceeds of Crime legislation to ensure that criminals are deprived of the benefits of their illegal activity. We continue to use intelligence-led approaches to target the most serious crimes and evaluate which interventions are most effective.

“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 would appeal to legitimate business to help us by report waste criminals, where they are aware of them.”

Anyone who suspects illegal waste activity should report it to our 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060, or anonymously through CrimeStoppers on 0800 555111.

Source: Environment Agency

Murfitts Sign FEED Contract with VOW

Ewan Scott
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Murfitts Sign FEED Contract with VOW

Vow ASA (has announced that its subsidiary Scanship AS has signed a FEED (Front End Engineering Design) contract with Murfitts Industries

The contract is the latest step in a programme which has seen the two companies co-operating on the development of a process to recover and re-use the raw materials from end-of-life tyres on a commercial scale. A major objective of the programme is to enable manufacturers to use the recovered material in the production of new tyres – helping to close the loop in a product lifecycle.

The new FEED contract will result in the design and construction plans for a large-scale pyrolysis plant, with the expectation that this will be operational in 2026. The plant will produce recovered Carbon Black (rCB), which will be used in the production of new tyres; tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO), which can then be refined to produce sustainable fuels; and syngas, which can be converted to energy.

Extensive trials of the processes have shown that the recovered materials meet the high standards demanded by manufacturers for their products. They especially appeal to those companies who are looking to improve their own sustainability by re-using secondary materials in their products, replacing virgin material.

Mark Murfitt, CEO of Murfitts Industries, said; “We’ve been working with Vow for many years and this FEED contract represents a significant milestone in our co-operation. We have focused on developing a programme which is industry leading in the sustainable recovery of end-of-life tyres. The investment we’re making in this next stage will deliver a plant which can meet the needs of manufacturers at a commercial scale. This is vital in giving them certainty, predictability and confidence in the quality and quantity of the recovered material.”

Murfitts Industries is the largest tyre recycling company in the UK and is part of the European Tyre Enterprise Limited (ETEL). The ETEL group also include a large tyre retail company with operations in the UK, Netherlands and Italy, as well as a tyre wholesale and distribution network. ETEL’s parent company is the ITOCHU Corporation, which is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Indian Tyre Companies to be Penalised for EPR Failure

Ewan Scott
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Indian Tyre Companies to be Penalised for EPR Failure

New Environmental Compensation (EC) guidelines to strengthen EPR management have been approved by the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC)

It is believed that manufacturers not meeting their EPR targets will face penalties of up to Rs8.40 per kilo of waste tyres not accounted for.

Further fines are listed in the guidelines, which also impose a fine of Rs 25,000 for violations under the Hazardous and Other Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Amendment Rules, 2022. The fine can increase to Rs 1 lakh if the offence has been repeated. This is in addition to the Rs8.40 levied on inaccurately accounted waste tyres.

The real challenge lies in enforcing the law. “The guidelines are good, but implementation should be made more stringent,” said Debadityo Sinha, lead for climate and ecosystems at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

Producers have to fill their obligations by buying EPR certificates from certified registered recyclers. However, it is understood that importers are buying up EPR certificates and the provision is already running into the next fiscal year’s available certificates.

The Central Pollution Control Board has asked all producers to fulfill their assigned EPR obligations for FY23 and FY24.

Manufacturers and importers of new tyres in India face escalating recycling responsibilities under the EPR regime. Starting with 35 per cent of their 2020-21 production/imports in 2022-23, the target climbs to 70 per cent in 2023-24 and reaches 100 per cent of the previous year’s production from 2024-25 onwards.

New units join the programme after two years, hitting 100 per cent responsibility in the third year. Waste tyre importers have an even stricter task with managing 100 per cent of the tyres they imported in the previous year, with import for producing pyrolysis oil or char explicitly banned.

Currently, in the producer category, there are 52 original equipment manufacturers and 126 importers, while 355 recyclers have submitted registration applications. Of these, 130 producers and 164 recyclers have been granted approval.

Ecolomondo Makes First Truckload Shipment of rCB to a Major Client

Ewan Scott
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Ecolomondo Makes First Truckload Shipment of rCB to a Major Client

Ecolomondo Corporation has announced the successful initial truckload shipment of recovered carbon black to a major customer

This landmark event marks a significant milestone in the company’s journey towards establishing itself as a key player in the global sustainable materials market.

The shipment of recovered carbon black represents a major advancement in Ecolomondo’s tyre recycling operations, utilising its proprietary thermal decomposition technology to convert end-of-life tyres into high-value recovered materials. The carbon black produced at the Hawkesbury facility, a crucial component in numerous industrial applications, is now being delivered to a prominent customer, further demonstrating the effectiveness and scalability of Ecolomondo’s innovative recycling solutions.

“We are thrilled to announce the successful shipment of recovered carbon black to a major customer,” said Gary Economo, CEO of Ecolomondo Corporation. “This achievement highlights our commitment to sustainability and positions us as a significant player in the market for recycled materials. It’s a testament to the efficiency of our technology and the dedication of our team.”

Gary Economo, CEO of Ecolomondo Corporation


Key Benefits of the Initial Shipment

The recovered carbon black shipped to the major customer meets stringent quality standards, showcasing the effectiveness of Ecolomondo’s advanced decomposition technology in producing high-value materials.
The shipment underscores Ecolomondo’s role in reducing tyre waste and promoting a circular economy by repurposing end-of-life tyres into valuable resources, thereby decreasing environmental impact.
This initial shipment marks the beginning of a broader market strategy, allowing Ecolomondo to establish and expand its presence in the recycled materials sector and strengthen relationships with key industry players.

The successful delivery to a major customer demonstrates the company’s capability to meet market demands and deliver products that align with industry needs and sustainability goals.


“This initial shipment is a significant step forward for our company,” said Economo. “It validates our technology and opens new opportunities for growth and collaboration within the recovered materials market. We are excited about the future and the potential to expand our impact through further partnerships and innovations.”

Nokian Tyres to Use Birch Bark in Tyres

Ewan Scott
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Nokian Tyres to Use Birch Bark in Tyres

Nokian Tyres has signed a development agreement with a Swedish biomaterial science company Reselo AB to further develop their renewable material Reselo Rubber as a potential new raw material in tyres

Reselo Rubber is a completely renewable material made from birch bark sourced from the residue of the global pulp, paper and plywood industry. The aim of the cooperation agreement now signed is to develop the material further to adapt it for commercial tire production.

“According to the initial laboratory tests we have conducted on Reselo Rubber, it has great potential to replace traditional fossil-based materials in tyres. Furthermore, the material is not only renewable, but we believe it may also be used to improve the tyre’s performance features. We are excited to develop it further in cooperation with Reselo and hope to have Reselo Rubber in Nokian Tyres tyres in the future,” says Heini Siekkinen, Senior Manager, Research & Sustainability from Nokian Tyres.

“We are proud and excited to join forces with Nokian Tyres to improve the sustainability of the largest rubber industry segment even further. The partnership with Nokian Tyres marks an important milestone in our ambition to revolutionize the rubber industry with a high performing bio-based rubber,” says Henrik Otendal, CEO and one of the founders of Reselo.

Reselo was the winner of Nokian Tyres’ FAST RACE, BIG CHANGE sustainable tyre innovation challenge that aimed to find new solutions for more sustainable tyres. After the preliminary testing, the potential of Reselo Rubber as a possible tyre material was established, and now the co-operation continues in close collaboration to further develop the material to match demanding tire properties in an industrial scale.

One of Nokian Tyres’ most important sustainability goals is to have 50 per cent of the raw materials in Nokian Tyres tyres renewable or recycled by 2030, and the company has reached several milestones recently.

 In June 2024, the company demonstrated the usability of of UPM BioMotion™, a groundbreaking new renewable material in tyres by presenting  Nokian Tyres Green Step Ligna. In August 2024, Nokian Tyres announced that their factory in Nokia, Finland has obtained the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS. With the certification, Nokian Tyres is able to introduce new sustainable, ISCC PLUS certified raw materials in its tyres.

“We believe that Reselo Rubber has potential to be one of the steps on our journey towards our goal and are glad to have Reselo as a partner supporting our quest,” says Teemu Soini, VP, Innovations & Development from Nokian Tyres.

AIMPLAS Workshop on Plastics and Rubber Recycling

Ewan Scott
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AIMPLAS Workshop on Plastics and Rubber Recycling

The AIMPLAS workshop, in partnership with ETRA covers four research lines and nine sectors takes place in Valencia on the 1st – 2nd October

ETRA and AIMPLAS  have joined forces to organizs a face-to-face workshop to explore opportunities to set up new EU funded projects on tyre, rubber, and plastic recycling with a high level of valorisation.

The aim of this workshop is to address various challenges in the elastomeric materials sector by providing a dynamic platform for knowledge sharing and opportunity exploration.

The first day will feature simultaneous networking sessions that include project presentations, collaboration opportunities, and interactive workshops to foster the exchange of ideas and build professional relationships.

The second day will focus on presentations by experts from AIMPLAS and ETRA, addressing key topics such as the latest R&D technologies, market trends, cooperation programs, EU project calls for 2025, and other funding opportunities.

 The in-person event is designed to encourage networking and interaction across the delegates and presenters.

Key elements of the event are:

–        Face to face Pitch Sessions between each participant and experts to discuss your project idea

–        Onsite visit to AIMPLAS labs to discover the equipment and facilities that can be used in your project

–        Networking Spaces for meetings among Participants and Organizers

–        One Day Seminar on most recent R&D Technologies, Market Trends, Cooperation programs, 2025 Calls for EU Projects and other funding opportunities

Indo Green Enviro Acquires Stake in Turkish Firm

Satnam Singh
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Indo Green Enviro Acquires Stake in Turkish Firm

Indian recycling companies, such as Indo Green Enviro, are penetrating the global market, emerging as key machinery suppliers and acquiring companies to establish permanent bases overseas

The Pune headquartered recycling machinery producer Indo Green Enviro Pvt Ltd is gearing-up to establish a full-fledged manufacturing base in Europe. “Indo Green Enviro has made strategic investments in a Turkish company during 2023. This will be converted into full-fledged equity by the end of 2024. The details of the deal will be shared through a joint announcement by both the partners in the forthcoming IFAT Mumbai Expo,” confided Rohan Rane, Vice President (Marketing), Indo Green Enviro Pvt Ltd, in an interaction at the recently concluded conclave on the tyre and rubber recycling industry at Jaipur (Rajasthan) organised by Tyre & Rubber Recyclers Association of India (TRRAI). The brand will also go through a fresh rebranding from the next year.

Rohan Rane, Vice President (Marketing), Indo Green Enviro Pvt Ltd

IFAT 2024 is scheduled to be held in Mumbai in the middle of October later this year.

The Turkish based site is located in northwestern city of Eskişehir  and serves the European as well as the Indian market for certain models and will produce 12-15 types of various recycling lines annually.

On responding to what led the company to invest in Turkey, Rane said; “The Turkish company has sound engineering knowledge, and we would like to take advantage of it considering the opportunities emerging in the recycling sector all over the world.”

With two manufacturing bases, the company is poised to service the Asian, Middle Eastern, and European markets with specialised tyre shredding equipment.

Both the Pune and Turkish sites compliment with each other, while the Pune plant continues to serve the Indian, Middle Eastern & Asian markets, the Turkish unit will cater the markets of Europe and India for a few specific products.

Introduced gamechanger Crossover Rasper  

Established around thirteen years ago, Indo Green Enviro manufactures complete recycling linse comprising of primary and secondary shredders, crossover rasper, granulator etc. The company emerged as disrupters in the shredding equipment market and are credited with jointly developing the Crossover Rasper with the Turkish partners.

The Crossover Rasper’s main feature is its ability to shred full tyres to 10 mm chips while liberating steel and fibre in one step. It is easy to run, maintain and comes equipped with the best components from across the world such as Yilmaz, Siemens, Rexroth, and Bohler.

The advantages include the versatility of being able to process any input size thus eliminating the need for multiple shredding equipment. The cost of processing is one of the lowest in the industry with sole motto to make the recycler more profitable.

“More than 30 Crossover Rasper’s are working successfully in various applications. This year will see more than a dozen crossovers being installed in the Indian sub-continent. Talks are on for other markets including the US.”

Expects 33% growth in the business in 2024 per cent

Meanwhile the company is expecting almost 33% surge in its business in this fiscal year. “We are supplying on an average 12 lines annually but we are expecting to supply 16 lines in the current fiscal. The Crossover Rasper has emerged as a gamechanger in our increasing volumes.”

Indo Green Enviro has forged number of strategic relationships from the beginning like it used to be a channel partner of Eldan Recycling in 2008. The company also worked as a sales and service partner of Granutech Saturn System (USA) from 2012 for shredders. It also tied-up with Arjes (Germany) from 2021 for primary shredders for Indian subcontinent. 

Indo Green Enviro has specialised in setting-up used tyre recycling plants across continents for the past decade.

The Export of ELT to India for Pyrolysis is Illegal

Ewan Scott
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The Export of ELT to India for Pyrolysis is Illegal

Tyre and Rubber Recycling has discussed the legality of ELT exports for pyrolysis many times. Finally, the government has decided to speak out

In a notice issued on the 3rd September, the UK government has clarified, specifically to T8 operators, that the export of tyres for pyrolysis in India is illegal.

The Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change has categorically stated that the import of waste tyres for pyrolysis is illegal.

ELT may only be imported into India for recovery into secondary materials.

The UK government states that all steps must be taken to ensure that tyres are only exported to India legally, warning that illegal exports may be stopped and repatriated.

The UK government reiterates the conditions required:

  • The material exported bust be suitable to overseas operators
  • The Annex VII movement documentation must be completed in full to include information on the final receiving site
  • There must be a valid contract between the person arranging the export and the consignee for the recovery of the waste
  • Where a contract is not in place, or where the waste is not received and treated in compliance with the movement document, the movement is illegal.
  • Operators must check and comply with all waste tyre import restrictions placed on the end destination. Individuals and businesses found to be exporting waste in contravention of these requirements can face enforcement action, including prosecution.

Anyone with any questions should contact WasteShipments_EB@environment-agency.gov.uk

We can’t let this go without commenting that this looks very much like the UK placing the onus of policing this on the receiving destinations.  We can only hope that there might be closer co-operation between agencies to ensure that only legitimate exporting takes place.

Bridgestone, Grupo BB&G and Versalis Develop Pyrolysis System

Ewan Scott
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Bridgestone, Grupo BB&G and Versalis Develop Pyrolysis System

Bridgestone EMEA, Grupo BB&G (BB&G) and Versalis (ENI) have announced the signing of an agreement aimed at establishing a closed-loop ecosystem to transform end-of-life tyres into new tyre

The agreement will bring together the innovation, experience and technological skills of all three companies. The partnership aims to develop a model for the creation of a scalable and increasingly sustainable supply chain.

Around one billion tyres reach the end of their useful service life every year, according to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)’s Tire Industry Project. Bridgestone, BB&G and Versalis are seeking a solution that provides innovative and more environmentally responsible ways to address increased sustainability in the synthetic rubber business, helping to maximise the complete lifecycle of a tyre. The partnership between the three companies will contribute to achieving their environmental goals.

End-of-life tyres (ELTs) will be transformed, through pyrolysis, into tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO) to create high-quality elastomers comparable to those obtained from traditional feedstock for the production of new tyres. The three companies’ collaboration aims to boost the development of pyrolysis technology and TPO, as well as market scaling the polymers as a valuable circular resource for new tyres. The partnership will leverage BB&G’s thermomechanical process of pyrolysis to recycle end-of-life tyres on a commercial scale.

BB&G has built and operated two generations of pilot plants in the past 10 years and has also recently commissioned its first commercial scale tyre pyrolysis production to validate the feasibility and quality outputs of the process. BB&G’s TPO unit is located in Fatima, Portugal and has been successfully up and running since 15 July 2024. Over the next months, a first amount of BB&G oil will be fed into Versalis’ plants to manufacture the circular elastomers that Bridgestone will use to create a first batch of tyres in early 2025. The BB&G TPO commercial plant will help improve the circular tyre ecosystem and play a crucial role in facilitating global tyre circularity.

Versalis, ENI’s chemical company, has been developing circular technologies and processes through polymer recycling. This includes complementary mechanical and chemical recycling. The company is also engaged in the diversification of feedstock, with both renewable sources and secondary raw materials. Through this collaboration and based on its own technological expertise for recycled materials, Versalis will integrate BB&G’s pyrolysis oil into its own supply chain thus expanding the Balance® – ISCC PLUS certified – product range. Versalis’ elastomers are designed to ensure high performance. Bridgestone, a global leader in tyres and sustainable mobility solutions, can transform these elastomers into tyres with an enhanced percentage of rubber obtained from secondary raw material.

As part of the collaboration, all three companies will be working together to research and realise the best technical solutions to establish a successful ecosystem for future recycling of end-of-life tyres on a large scale.

Laurent Dartoux, Group President Bridgestone EMEA and Global Sustainability Initiative Lead Bridgestone Corporation, explains: “At Bridgestone, we have set a goal of working with 100 per cent sustainable materials by 2050, and recycling and reusing products is an important part of this. The partnership with industry leaders Grupo BB&G and Versalis to research, implement and overcome the challenge of recycling tyres will contribute towards this target. The collaboration also supports Bridgestone’s corporate E8 commitment, along with our global EVERTIRE initiative, which focuses on co-creating new and environmentally responsible ways to maximise the complete lifecycle of our tyres.”

Adriano Alfani, CEO of Versalis (ENI), commented: “In line with our strategy for circularity, we have developed lower-carbon solutions which perfectly fit in the value chain we’ve established with our industry partners Bridgestone EMEA and Grupo BB&G. This agreement aims at delivering maximum value to our customers and an innovative boost to the tyre industry, furthering our commitment towards a more sustainable mobility.

Germano Carreira, CEO of BB&G, concluded: “This strategic partnership with industry leaders Bridgestone and Versalis is a huge step towards achieving our visionary goal of accelerating tyre recycling worldwide. It confirms the value of our patented technology and acknowledges the persistence that has brought us to this crucial point, enabling us to expand our technology across different regions. This collaboration is not just about advancing our products; it is a joint effort to increase circularity in the industry, aligning with global sustainability goals.”

Some years ago, when approached about an Italian pyrolysis project, a representative from ENI is said to have told that particular project that they would only be interested in a commercialised process at 50,000tpa. This project looks like it may have the potential to exceed that capacity in due course.

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