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ATMA says India is increasingly becoming a destination for waste or scrap tyres with the imports surging five-fold since FY21
According to data released by the Ministry of Commerce, the import of waste or scrap tyres which was 2.64 lakh metric tonnes (MT) in FY21 has risen to 13.98 lakh MT in FY24. According to the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA), this rise in unregulated imports is posing significant environmental and safety risks.
Contrary to the aims of the EPR scheme, imports of waste tyres have increased annually. There is a clear lack of control.
“The indiscriminate import of waste/scrap tyres undermines the objectives of the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Regulation on Waste Tyres, which came into effect in July 2022. EPR regulations were designed to ensure the responsible management of End of Life Tyres (ELT). However, the unchecked import of waste or scrap tyres not only contradicts these efforts but also burdens India’s waste management infrastructure”, said Arnab Banerjee, Chairman ATMA.
India produces over 200 million tyres annually. This volume generates enough domestic ELT capacity for recycling and disposal. The environmental and safety implications of unregulated tyre waste are grave said the Deccan Chronicle. Improperly disposed waste tyres can lead to severe pollution, fire hazards, and health risks. By banning imports of scrap tyres, India can bolster its domestic recycling industry and further its commitment to sustainable development.
In this latest round of publicity about waste tyre imports in India, there seems to be a change in attitude. A stronger call from ATMAmay lead to a change in thinking on imports.
This should be screaming out warnings to major exporters such as the UK. If the Indian government sides with the tyre manufacturers, the UK is going to face a real challenge in disposing of its tyres. Contrary to the current thinking that tyres are not a priority for the UK’sDeFRA, they could very rapidly become a not inconsiderable challenge.
Tyros B.V., a company focused on the recycling of end-of-life tyres, is planning to move into a 2-hectare site on the former UCB site in the port area of Ostend
The start-up will use advanced technologies to process tyres in a sustainable way. Tyros, founded in May 2024, is investing in an electric pyrolysis reactor with the support of the Flemish government (1 million euros in strategic ecology support).
This reactor will convert 9,125 tons of rubber granulate annually into valuable primary components such as recovered Carbon Black, pyrolysis oil and syngas. These raw materials find their way to various sectors, including petrochemicals, automotive, ink production and energy.
The use of this technology is claimed to prevent the emission of almost 21,000 tons of CO2 annually, compared to the traditional combustion of rubber granulate.
In the long term, the site will process 100,000 tonnes of tyres annually, of which 18,000 tonnes via on-site pyrolysis, resulting in the production of 5,000 tonnes of pyrolysis oil and 6,800 tonnes of recovered Black Carbon, crucial raw materials for circular applications. It is worth noting that 100,000 tonnes annually is very close to the total tyre arisings generated in Belgium. (ETRMA figures for 2016 show Belgian arisings at 87,000 tonnes, allowing for growth, 100,000 tons may be more than Belgium produces). With Bolder Industries also looking at a large scale plant in Antwerp, there could be some interesting developments if both come to fruition.
Tyres will be delivered by truck, while shredded tyres will be transported by container via the waterway for further processing, including via a feeder service between Ostend and Antwerp. This sustainable logistics model contributes to maritime traffic in the port and strengthens the circular economy in the region.
Tyros will directly and indirectly create dozens of new jobs.
Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd, Bridgestone Corporation, Kyushu University, and Okayama University have launched a technology development project to perform secondary processing on rCB extracted from polymer products such as end-of-life tyres
The project aims to convert these materials into eco Carbon Black (eCB™) with rubber reinforcement properties equivalent to those of virgin carbon black (vCB) that is derived from petroleum and coal. Through these efforts, the joint project members are focused on contributing to the realisation of a circular economy and carbon neutrality through the development of advanced recycling technologies.
This project is a part of demonstrative initiative titled “Technology Development for Carbon Recycling from Polymer Products Including End-of-Life Tires“. The project was selected by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) on December 23, 2024 under the “Green Innovation Fund Project / Technology Development for Manufacturing Plastic Raw Materials Using CO₂, etc.”
Efforts are already underway to pyrolyse polymer products including rubber from end-of-life tyres to recover and reuse rCB. However, practical application of rCB in new tyres still faces challenges. Among them, rCB has lower rubber reinforcement performance compared to vCB, primarily due to the presence of numerous impurities. Additionally, although many end-of-life tyres are still effectively utilised as fuel through thermal recovery, this process leads to CO2 emissions. With the anticipated growth in automotive and transportation demand, tyre demand is expected to rise correspondingly in the future. These efforts are focused on enhancing resource circulation by further enabling the recycling of vCB, a key raw material for tyres.
In this project, Tokai Carbon will leverage the technologies and expertise it has developed through carbon black manufacturing, combining them with the knowledge and technologies of Bridgestone, Kyushu University, and Okayama University. Together, the joint project members aim to develop technology to remove impurities from rCB and produce eCB with superior rubber reinforcing properties. The project’s objective is to establish a demonstration plant capable of producing 5,000 tons/year of eCB by fiscal year 2032. Additionally, the project will focus on developing special polymer/carbon composites that enable the reuse of carbon black without the need for pyrolysis of end-of-life tires. Through these initiatives, the joint project members want to realise advanced recycling of limited resources and help reduce the CO2 emissions associated with the production of carbon black and the recycling of end-of-life tyres.
The Indian Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) has called for an immediate ban on waste tyre imports, citing a more than fivefold increase in such imports since fiscal year 2020-21
This is a return to the ATMA stance before the introduction of the EPR scheme in India.
Mr Vinay Vijayvargiya, deputy director, technical, of ATMA
Mr Vinay Vijayvargiya, deputy director, technical, of ATMA, pointed out two main concerns. He said, “The foreign countries want a dumping ground for used tyres. So, they give them away at throwaway prices.
“Once imported, they sell like hot cakes across India. They are either reused in vehicles, even though they are unsuitable for our roads, and are hazardous, or they are burnt in pyrolysis plants to get cheap fuels and oils.” Pyrolysis plants across India have recently come under the scanner of several states for failing to meet environmental pollution standards.”
Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association, Anshuman Singhania
In February 2024 -The Chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association, Anshuman Singhania, raised concerns over the staggering statistic that India imported around 8.8 lakh million tonnes [sic] of scrapped tyres between April and November 2023 –These tyres, originate predominantly from the United Kingdom, West Asia, and Europe, and are burnt or retreaded and resold in the aftermarket—a practice that poses both environmental and safety hazards, according to ATMA.
ATMA’s Arnab Banerjee
July 2024 Raising the concern, ATMA Chairman Arnab Banerjee said;”The import of waste/scrap tyres into India needs to be restricted through policy measures and, if necessary, allowed only in multiple cut or shredded form.”
Now, ATMA has returned to its original stance calling for an immediate ban on waste tyre imports, citing a more than fivefold increase in such imports since fiscal year 2020-21. According to Ministry of Commerce data, waste and scrap tyre imports have surged from 264,000 metric tonnes in FY21 to 1.398 million metric tonnes in FY24.
In its pre-budget submission to the government, ATMA Chairman Arnab Banerjee stated that the rising imports conflict with India’s Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Regulation on Waste Tyres, implemented in July 2022. The regulation aims to ensure proper management of end-of-life tyres through systematic collection and disposal.
India produces over 200 million tyres annually, making it one of the world’s major tyre manufacturing nations. The domestic industry generates sufficient end-of-life tyres to meet the country’s recycling needs, making scrap tyre imports unnecessary, according to ATMA.
The growing volume of imported waste tyres poses environmental and safety challenges, potentially straining India’s waste management infrastructure. Improper tyre disposal can create fire hazards and contribute to environmental pollution.
The Indian tyre industry has seen significant growth over the past decade, with domestic manufacturers expanding capacity to meet both local and export demand. The country’s tyre sector accounts for about 3% of global production, with major players operating multiple manufacturing facilities across different states.
ATMA, representing major tyre manufacturers in India, has emphasised the need to strengthen domestic recycling capabilities rather than relying on imports. The association has previously worked with the government on various industry initiatives, including quality control orders and raw material availability.
Should India impose a total ban on the import of waste tyres, the UK would face a crisis of capacity and markets. However, lobbying from the very strong Indian recycling sector is likely to cause the government to fall short on a total ban.
IAG the owner of British Airways, has taken an interest in the Wastefront pyrolysis project, which could give them access to aviation fuel from recycled tyres
Through an advanced pyrolysis process, used tyres will be converted into tyre-derived oil, which will then be refined into Sustainable Aviation Fuel and road fuels. This initiative is poised to achieve over 80 per cent reduction in life cycle carbon emissions compared to traditional fossil fuels.
Expected to begin operations in 2026, the Sunderland facility will reach full capacity by 2027, processing up to 10 million tyres annually. With the UK generating around 50 million end-of-life tyres each year, this plant will offer a sustainable alternative to current practices, which often involve exporting tyres perhaps questionable treatment or disposal.
This facility aligns with the UK’s SAF mandate, implemented on January 1, 2025, which aims for at least 10 per cent of jet fuel used on flights departing the UK to be sourced from sustainable feedstocks by 2030, increasing to 22 per cent by 2040.
Jonathon Counsell, IAG’s Group Sustainability Officer, said; “We’re proud to support innovators like Wastefront, who are finding new forms of feedstocks to produce advanced fuels. However, as global demand for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) grows, it’s crucial to expand production in the UK. The recent Government mandate will help reduce aviation’s overall carbon impact, but airlines need confidence that the planned revenue certainty mechanism will support UK businesses in developing SAF technology without further increasing the cost base for UK airlines.”
Wastefront’s Vianney Vales
Vianney Valès, CEO of Wastefront,said; “At Wastefront, our mission is to turn a problematic waste stream into a highly valuable resource. We can create SAF at an extremely competitive cost with a very low environmental footprint – capable of reducing carbon emissions in the production process by up to 80 per cent compared to traditional jet fuels. This investment is a testament to the potential of Wastefront’stechnology in tackling waste and air pollution.”
One of the challenges of any large-scale recycling facility is ensuring the stability of feedstock supply. In an unstable market, such as the UK, Wastefront has engaged the largest exporter of tyres from the UK, Dubai-based Gateway Resources.
The Sunderland plant will be constructed in phases, building to a total output of 32,000 tonnes of oil per year.
Once operational, Wastefront’s long term plan is to operate four such plants producing around 128,000 tonnes of oil annually.
Hammarsdale-based radial truck tyre recycler, Mathe Group, has reached the millionth radial truck tyre recycling milestone, bringing the total amount of rubber crumb produced for re-use in key industrial and construction applications to around 38 500 tons, according to CEO Dr Mehran Zarrebini
Based on the infill of 100 tons of rubber crumb per full-size artificial football field, this equates to 385 full-size football fields or 700 full-size hockey fields ( based on 55 tons needed to create the elastic layer underneath artificial grass). The amount of rubber crumb produced would have provided the asphalt and seal needed to pave at least 8,000 km of roads.
Dr Zarrebini, a British investor who initially acquired iconic KwaZulu-Natal-based carpet manufacturer, Van Dyck, discovered Mathe Group as a small operation with just 20 employees operating in New Germany in 2016. He was looking for a rubber crumb to manufacture acoustic underlays and acoustic cradles for flooring in high-rise buildings – products that he has since improved and continues to export.
Having acquired a 49% shareholding in Mathe Group, he relocated the company to its present site in Hammarsdale, significantly boosting production through ongoing re-investment in the plant over the past eight years. Mathe Group currently recycles approximately 700 radial truck tyres per day to produce 30 tons of rubber crumb. Seventy per cent of each 55kg truck tyre becomes rubber crumb and 30% is waste steel which is exported via the port of Durban.
Through its research and development or through working with key partners, Mathe Group’s repertoire of products has grown to include non-slip paving and flooring for agricultural use, ballistics products and gym mats, rubber pavers and infill for sports fields. Various sizes of rubber crumb are also key ingredients in bitumen for road resurfacing, non-slip paints, moulding of parts for the automotive industry, the retreading of tyres and the production of brake linings.
Dr Zarrebini says that several challenges have stood in the way of Mathe Group not achieving its important millionth tyre milestone far sooner. These include the COVID-19 pandemic which shut down the plant for 18 months, loadshedding, water shortages and ongoing legal battles and delayed implementation of the Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan (IWTMP).
Mathe Group is currently awaiting the renewal and expansion of its tyre quota from the Waste Bureau. This will enable this highly successful business to significantly expand output and continue to develop new products.
At present, 50% of a tranche of new equipment needed to replace the existing plant will arrive in South Africa at the beginning of the New Year with the remainder ready to be shipped during the second quarter of 2025. Dr Zarrebini says ongoing replacement of equipment that comes into contact with abrasive hard rubber and steel is essential.
In addition, he says that Mathe Group is finalising external funding for additional upgrades to the existing line which enable the company to diversify.
“For the phase two investment, we designed the equipment to have the flexibility to process radial steel truck tyres as well as a variety of other tyres. Although nylon truck tyres are few and far between now because trucking companies prefer to use radial steel tyres that are of a higher quality and retreadable, this gives us the security of more variant tyre supply,” he says.
Waiting in the wings – and dependent on the delivery of more tyres for recycling – is a phase three investment. Mathe Group has already been granted a waste management license for the installation of a completely new line to complement its existing one.
Dr Zarrebini says that although Mathe Group’s growth from 2016 to 2019 was steep, this levelled off with the advent of load shedding, high energy costs and the factory closure during the pandemic. With a more stable business environment and energy supply, output during 2024 has again increased as the factory can operate 24/7.
With the upcoming investment, he is optimistic that Mathe Group will reach its two millionth tyre milestone rapidly.
Epsilon Carbon is enhancing its sustainability initiatives with the planned development of a fully integrated tyre recycling facility in the South Indian state of Karnataka, which is anticipated to be operational by fiscal year 2026
The new facility will recycle 30,000 tonnes of tyres annually, producing 9,500 tonnes of recovered carbon black and 12,000 tonnes of tyre-derived oil. This demonstrates Epsilon Carbon’s dedication to a circular economy.
Launch new product line ‘Terrablack’ at Bharat Mobility Global Expo
Epsilon Carbon, known in the carbon black manufacturing industry, announces the launch of ‘Terrablack,’ a product line focused on sustainability. The unveiling occurred at the Bharat Mobility Show’s India International Tyre Exhibition in New Delhi.
Vikram Handa, Managing Director of Epsilon Carbon, stated, “Terrablack is designed to innovate and contribute to environmental protection while supporting industries in their efforts toward sustainability. We believe that innovation, performance, and sustainability should be integrated, and Terrablack represents this approach, marking a significant step in our goal to advance the carbon black industry and work towards a sustainable future.”
Terrablack is designed to address the growing demand for sustainable carbon black. Using recovered Carbon Black (rCB) and Tyre Derived Oil (TDO), this product line aims to shape the future of carbon black production. It offers high-performance, eco-friendly solutions that meet the needs of both the tyre and non-tyre industries. After 24 months of in-depth testing and collaboration, Terrablack brings together innovation and responsibility in complete balance.
The Terrablack portfolio includes Terrablack 3310, engineered for heavy-duty applications like tyre treads, offering superior wear resistance and durability. Whereas Terrablack 6615, is designed for flexibility and resilience, ideal for tyre sidewalls, hoses, belts, and sealing systems.
Both products are formulated to compliment traditional virgin carbon black, delivering the same quality with a significantly reduced environmental impact. The Terrablack products can lower the Global Warming Potential (GWP) by 40-50 per cent, supporting global environmental goals and aiding compliance with India’s Tyre Extended Producer Responsibility standards.
With Terrablack, Epsilon Carbon is setting a new standard, proving that sustainability does not have to come at the cost of performance.
Epsilon Carbon, established in 2017, is a leading player in the carbon industry, committed to delivering innovative and sustainable solutions. With manufacturing operations in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha, it is one of the largest exporters of specialty carbon and carbon black. Its carbon black facility has an annual capacity of 115,000 metric tons, while the specialty carbon facility has a capacity of 320,000 TPA.
Recircle Awards has announced the list of finalists for all categories, except Best Innovation in Tyre Recycling and Best Research Project on Tyre Recycling, which will be announced on February 10.
Voting will remain open until March 14.
The awards ceremony will take place on May 22 in Bologna, during Autopromotec 2025.
Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling magazines, the organizers of the Recircle Awards, the global industry awards event recognising sustainable innovation, production processes, management and services within the tyre retreading and recycling sectors, have announced the list of finalists for the first 14 categories of the 2025 edition.
As in previous editions of the Recircle Awards, the Nominations Committee has been responsible for selecting the list of finalists, based on the nominations made through the official nominations platform on the awards website. The Nominations Committee consists of the Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling magazine editors, as well as 13 people from the tyre retreading and recycling sectors from around the world recognised for their independence and experience in their respective fields.
The finalists for the first 14 awards’s categories are as follows:
Best Company Director:
Alexei Nicolini (Budini Inc.)
Allen Timpany (Circtec)
Fred Bonney (GSL Tire Recycling)
Günter Ihle (Rigdon GmbH)
Haarjeev Kandhari (Vaculug)
Best Retreading Accessory and Consumables Supplier:
The nomination period is still open for Best Innovation in Tyre Recycling and Best Research Project on Tyre Recycling, and the finalists for both categories will be announced on February 10, along with the final four categories.
Voting for the 2025 Recircle Awards will be open until Friday, March 14, and can be lodged via the awards website. Participants and voters must remember that the voting system allows for only one vote per person and category.
The winners will be announced on Thursday, May 22 at the Autopromotec trade fair in Bologna, Italy.
David Wilson, the Head of the Nominations Committee and the Editor of Retreading Businessand Tyre & Rubber Recycling magazines commented, “We are very proud to announce the finalists for the Recircle Awards 2025. This year we have made an effort to streamline the entire voting process, from the submission of initial nominations to considering the nominations to finally selecting the finalists. We will continue to improve every area where we see room for improvement to ensure that the awards become an even greater benchmark for the industry.”
Wilson added, “Additionally, I would like to express our satisfaction with the level of interest that the awards are getting each year. Our aim has always been to highlight the business and individual efforts to adapt and promote the values of the circular economy. In this fourth edition, we have also tried to make the awards more inclusive by establishing two new categories to recognise the contributions and commitment of women in this sector, which fills me with pride. Without a doubt, this is an area that we will continue to explore further.”
The South African REDISA model for tyre recycling is not quite ready to vanish into the thin air
Tyre and Rubber Recycling visited non-profit REDISA in Capetown when it looked like they had got to grips with handling South Africa’s tyre waste challenges.
The system they envisaged involved collector on the street picking up tyres and being paid for doing so when they delivered them to collection centres. The benefits were proposed that each collector would have a bank account, something that was rare amongst that level in society. They would be paid per tyre collected and they could access the accumulated funds from that account.
Tyres would then be taken to collection centres, and from there to a number of proposed processing centres.
That, in a nutshell was how it was supposed to work. However, the tyre industry wasn’t happy that they did not have control, as they do in most EPR operations, there were protests from various vested interests, and ultimately, REDISA was subject to litigation from the then environment minister, Edna Molewa withdrew the non-profit scheme, illegally according to Stacey Jansen, a REDISA director.
REDISA’s Stacey Jansen
Without going ionto the details of the case, it is reasonable to say that non-profit does not mean that people do not make money, and that perhaps was at the heart of Molewa’s withdrawal of the scheme.
Eight years down the line from the withdrawal, and a long series of court cases, Stacey Jansen wrote in South Africa’s Business Day, that the REDISA team had high hopes for a fresh start. However Jansen believes that the new environment minister Dion George, has wasted a chance to pick a low hanging fruit.
Jansen writes; “Economic research has shown that monetising the 38 different waste streams in SA through recycling, could add 1.75% to our economic growth rate. This growth would be underpinned by small and medium enterprises, which have most potential to create employment. When recycling is done correctly it also opens up markets for new products.
“In fact, SA was a world leader in formalising the waste tyre stream just seven years ago.”
The Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of SA (Redisa) had high hopes for a fresh start under a new minister, but his inexplicable inaction so far on the waste front, specifically waste tyres, has been disappointing.
George and his department have simply ignored the waste tyre crisis. SA discards between 253,000 and 259,000 tonnes of waste tyres every year, according to Jansen. This enormous volume poses a serious environmental threat. In the informal economy hundreds of waste tyres are burnt every day to access scrap metal, causing extreme air pollution, and most of the rest end up in dumps or languish in enormous and growing used tyre depots.
Many industry players have warned that SA’s waste tyre depots are over capacity and in breach of fire regulations, posing a serious fire risk. Last year a devastating fire broke out at the Biesiesvlei Waste Tyre Storage Depot in Lichtenburg, with severe environmental and financial repercussions. The other over-capacity depots are ticking time bombs.
Environment Minster Dion George
This dire state of affairs could have been avoided. In fact, SA was a world leader in formalising the waste tyre stream just seven years ago. Between 2012 and 2017, REDISA, a nonprofit company, pioneered a plan alongside the government that built 22 tyre collection centres, employed more than 3,000 people, created 226 SMMEs and offset 59,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. It accelerated the recycling economy, empowered unskilled workers and stimulated entrepreneurship.
Instead of resurrecting a similar model to the REDISA one, and righting a manifest wrong, George chose last year to rather support the previous incumbent’s fatally flawed Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan. He is doing so seemingly on the advice and counsel of the self-same officials who presided over the current disastrous state of affairs.
Jansen continues; “This latest plan claims to be a way of addressing the waste tyre problem, but it sets unachievable targets, contains numerous inconsistencies, lacks any budgetary detail and was created and approved in an improper manner. It is the type of irresponsible plan-making that has come to define ANC inefficiency. And with George’s support it will soon define DA inefficiency too.
Should this plan be implemented, it would be a disaster. Waste and recycling entrepreneurs would suffer further. After trying for months, with no success, to communicate in good faith with the department and George, REDISA had no choice but to approach the courts to stop the plan.”
“SA needs bold, decisive action on waste management in 2025. It is time for George to act,” says Jansen.
A full version of this story can be found in Business Day
Ecolomondo Corporation signed a letter of intent for a joint venture with Alternativas Riojanas Eolicas y Solares S.L. (ARESOL) on December 2, 2024, aiming to build a 20,000 metric tons/year of end-of-life tyres TDP facility in Spain
ARESOL is a business group that develops, executes, and operates renewable energy projects of all magnitude, from conception to installation and operation. Within the company’s expansion plan, Aresol intends to develop and implement several pyrolysis projects for end-of-use tyres in Spain, and for this reason, it chose the Canadian pyrolysis technology developed by Ecolomondo.
Ecolomondo and ARESOL intend to establish a joint venture by forming a new entity jointly owned by Ecolomondo, ARESOL and other interested investors that could emerge. The project will have the capacity to process 20,000 tons/year of end-of-life tyres in a single pyrolysis plant, to produce Tyre Pyrolysis Oil, recovered Carbon black, steel and syngas.
Ecolomondo would provide the tyre pyrolysis technology, and the development-financial aspect will be distributed proportionally between the parties and other possible investors. The overall structure and purpose of the venture are to be negotiated between the parties and will need to be properly documented in the definitive agreements.
“We are excited about this transaction, and we look forward to working with ARESOL. This transaction when completed will be Ecolomondo’s entry into Europe, well in line with the Company’s long-term strategic objectives to become a global company, creating sustainable products from end-of-life tyres”, said Jean-François Labbé, Interim CEO of Ecolomondo.
