News and feature articles relating to recycling, including collection, of end of life tyres.
17 years of dumping has amassed a “tyre graveyard” over 42 million vehicle tyres in Kuwait. According to EuroNews.Green, this has resulted in clouds of toxic black smoke when set alight, creating an “immense environmental risk for residents”.
Hankook Tire is collaborating with Korean footwear brand Yase to launch a range of eco-friendly shoes made using recycled tyres. This ‘Zero – Leave Nothing Behind’ project offers those still too young to drive the opportunity to get to know Hankook Tire – the tyre maker expects the products will “resonate with customers who are early adopters and are conscious about the environment.”
Germany’s IAA motor show moves to Munich this year and, rebranded as IAA Mobility 2021, is the country’s first major international event since the easing of lockdown restrictions. It begins on 7 September and has attracted more than 1,000 exhibitors and speakers. Michelin will be there, and during IAA Mobility intends to highlight plans to make its tyres as sustainable as possible. The tyre maker’s efforts will include six Michelin teams roaming through downtown Munich during the event, encouraging people to recycle plastic waste.
Australians with tyres on the brain can convert this to a profitable business with help from Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA). The association representing firms across the tyre supply chain states that if someone fitting this bill has “an idea that utilises end-of-life tyres,” then it “has the funds to assist.”
Hankook Tire & Technology Group is the latest tyre manufacturer to partner with Tyre Stewardship Australia (TSA), an organisation set up to promote the development of viable markets for end-of-life tyres, and as such is now contributing to the National Tyre Product Stewardship Scheme. The Korean tyre maker’s engagement lifts the number of participating tyre importers to nine; in addition to Hankook, Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear & Dunlop, Kumho, Michelin, Pirelli, Toyo, Yokohama are involved with the scheme.
We’re used to encountering yarn spun from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles in clothing and soft furnishings, but from next year motorists will be able to buy Continental tyres containing this material. Continental will use PET-sourced polyester yarns in the construction of tyre casings and says these can “completely replace” conventional polyester. It will present a concept tyre built upon a PET polyester casing at the IAA Mobility show in Munich this September.
Big Atom, which operates from Ellesmere Port in the northwest of England, is celebrating the successful processing of its one millionth tyre in three years. Not only is one million a significant sized number, according to the company it represents the first step towards a fully sustainable operation.
Company founder Alexander Guslisty views Big Atom’s milestone as the tip of the iceberg, with the site licenced to process 2,500,000 tyres a year after new machinery was invested to enable higher production levels. At the same time, Big Atom’s workforce has increased to 33 and a recent investment in upgraded machinery has allowed the company to produce rubber crumb in three size variants; 0-2mm, 2-6mm and 20mm.
Michelin once again owns 20 per cent of the shares in Scandinavian Enviro Systems (Enviro) following the dilution of its holding in May as a result of the completed new issue. The increase in its holding resulted from Michelin, via its subsidiary, acquiring two million of the shares that were issued in May to Unwrap Finance AB. Enviro has no information about the purchase consideration or the acquisition price.
Norwegian waste tyre recycling company Wastefront has appointed Vianney Valès as its new CEO, replacing founder Inge Berge, who moves to chief operating officer. Valès is a former top oil and gas executive in in companies such as Shell and Galp Energia. He was first introduced to Wastefront by its liquid offtaker Vitol in 2019, was initially engaged with the Norwegian company in his former position as CEO of Devaltec LLC, a project developer and solutions provider in new and sustainable energies. Valès will be responsible for de-risking the company’s first waste tyre plant project in Sunderland, due to begin construction in early 2022. Valès will relocate immediately to London from Houston, Texas. Wastefront added that Valès’ initial priorities will include the selection of an EPC partner, developing commercial agreements, and ensuring all outstanding permits are approved.
The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) is supporting a West Mercia Police anti tyre fly-tipping initiative. The campaign, which involves retailers and others handling waste tyres, offers special marker pens to identify the origin of tyre. TRA-branded handouts and posters promoting the campaign will also be available.
Every year, 1.6 billion car tyres are sold worldwide in total. The PET fibres used in these tyres represent 800,000 tonnes of PET per year. With regards to Michelin alone, this represents nearly 3 billion plastic bottles annually. That’s why the France-based global tyre maker has been looking for ways that bottles can be recycled into technical fibres for use in the company’s tyres. Now, the company has validated that Carbios’s enzymatic process does exactly that, giving Michelin a step forward in its sustainability plans. Indeed, Michelin describes the development as “a major step towards developing 100 per cent sustainable tyres. Michelin has successfully tested and applied”. Michelin is committed to achieving 40 per cent sustainable materials (of renewable or recycled origin) by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050.
Kal Tire reports that a full start-up is imminent at its new off-the-road (OTR) tyre recycling facility in Antofagasta, Chile. One of two thermal conversion reactors has completed commissioning and is now undergoing full load tests to process 20,000 kg of tyres, the equivalent of five 63-inch tyres. Commissioning of the facility’s second reactor is nearly complete and full production in sight.
In addition to the flurry of research relating to tyre pyrolysis published at the end of 2020 and the start of this year, in February it emerged that another related study has been released. In his master’s thesis for Tampere University, Mikko Sirén explored the best technologies for turning scrap tyres into secondary raw material and value-added products. The research project started in May 2020 as an initiative of Black Donuts, the turn-key tyre industry consultants, who desired up-to-date research of the recycling of discarded tyres as part of their circular economy initiatives.
CM Shredders
Big Atom
Carbios
BlackDonuts