The circular economy and the tire industry
The global tire market, of which the European Union has a 30 per cent share, is estimated at USD 34512.2 million and will grow at a CAGR of 2.5 per cent from 2024 to 2031.
Sustainability is increasingly important for the tire industry as it generates a challenging amount of post-consumption waste. Its raw materials are derived from limited, non-renewable, and polluting fossil fuels. The circular economy model, where end-of-life tires are considered raw materials for further production cycles, can solve both these problems and ensure the industry’s growth.
This article will cover the various circular economy approaches that manufacturers can use to become sustainable, such as:
- Tire production and raw material extraction,
- Current collection and management of used tires, and
- Strategies guided by the 10Rs to bring circularity to the tire industry.
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What are the current circularity challenges in the tire industry?
Most tires are currently produced using the linear economy model, which is stressful for the environment and society at every stage of “extract-manufacture-consume-dispose” products.
The linear model currently used in the tire industry extracts resources continuously, depleting fossil fuels, whose reserves are shrinking and will become very expensive. Oil is expected to run out by 2052, gas by 2060, and coal by 2090.
The circular economy recognises that the materials in end-of-life products retain value and can be used several times if post-consumption items are collected.
They can be first repaired, reused, or refurbished. When the product can no longer be used, it is recycled to recover materials for the next cycle of products. This way, materials remain in circulation longer, saving natural resources and reducing waste and environmental impact.
According to a 2022 report from the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC), currently, only 60 per cent of collected ELTS were used for material recovery as part of the circular economy. Over 30 per cent of the remaining ELTs were incinerated for energy recovery following a linear model, meaning their raw materials were lost after one cycle of tire production.
Using secondary materials in a circular economy model has many sustainability benefits, including:
- Stopping the loss of materials after one cycle of tire production and use can ensure a steady and regional/local supply of components to stabilise tire production and make it economically efficient.
- Using secondary recycled materials reduces the energy used to make one tonne of new tires from 1019 kWh to 770.5–800 kWh. It also reduces water consumption.
- Incorporating recycled materials from ELTs to make new tires can reduce environmental impact. Using 4 per cent or 10 per cent of secondary material in truck tires reduces ecosystem impacts by 4.60 per cent or 4.65 per cent, respectively.
- Reducing carbon emissions by 700 kg of CO2 per tonne of tire produced.
According to a 2021 research paper, globally, 20 million tonnes of ELTs are generated, but only 70 percent are recovered—52 percent for materials and 19 percent for producing tire-derived fuel. So, there is scope for more material recovery and circularity in the tire industry to enhance sustainability.
Contec uses a proprietary pyrolysis process to turn end-of-life tires into new commodities. Learn more about our process.
The Circular Economy in action: Tire industry innovations
The current 3Rs of reduce, reuse, and recycle only support a linear economy model.
Industries can develop a circular economy in manufacturing to become sustainable by using one of the 10Rs instead. The aim of the 10Rs is to reduce the extraction of natural resources and waste and maximise materials’ utilisation and lifetimes.
According to a 2022 research publication on circular manufacturing, the 10 Rs relevant to circularity are refuse, rethink, reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, remanufacture, repurpose, recycle, and recover.
1. Refuse
Refuse refers to a refusal to use harmful, non-recyclable, or/and non-renewable materials in manufacturing. In manufacturing, this would mean using recycled raw ingredients that reduce environmental impact instead of harmful materials.
For example, using recovered secondary products from recycled ELTs instead of fossil-fuel-based vCB, rubber, or textiles.
2. Rethink
This step involves rethinking several stages and product usage. It includes rethinking product design to make the product circular, using recyclable, renewable, and sustainable materials in production, and developing circular innovations where necessary.
“Manufacturers can invest in new innovative tire designs that produce modular individual components for simpler disassembly for recycling, repair, and reuse in manufacturing new tires. Similarly, modular components in new car designs will allow for more replacement and repair, decreasing demand for new vehicles and lessening the use of new raw materials to build cars,” says Krzysztof Wróblewski CEO of Contec.
3. Reduce
This involves improving manufacturing efficiency to reduce the utilisation of virgin raw materials, energy, chemicals, fuel, packing materials, and water while also reducing environmental impacts like waste production, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution of air, water, and soil.
One means to achieve reduction is by using lean manufacturing principles. Various tire brands are using different strategies to achieve reduction.
4. Reuse
This strategy involves reusing a product or resource while retaining its original abilities. In the case of tires, consumers can reuse worn tires after retreading with recycled rubber instead of buying new tires.
Retreading is a cost-effective method of improving product lifetime and limiting the environmental impacts from tire production by reducing the use of new materials, energy, and water. High-quality used tires can also be resold for use on vehicles or other purposes.
5. Repair
Repairing products to facilitate proper functioning can also extend their lifetime.
Instead of replacement, minor tire problems can be fixed by repair, service, and maintenance. Developing and promoting service-based repair facilities will be crucial to achieving this goal and could require policy intervention. Consumers can also use kits and information guidance to make basic tire repairs.
6. Refurbish
Refurbishing is like repair but goes further to restore the product to its original condition. The process can involve buy-back schemes and reuse of product components.
The quality of refurbished products is comparable to new ones. Establishing a second-hand market for refurbished components and refurbishing experts will be necessary to support this goal. For example, older tires can be retrofitted with advanced technology to extend their lifetime and improve performance.
7. Remanufacture
Remanufacturing involves dismantling end-of-life products and reusing their parts to make new products with the same functions and abilities. It supports circularity by reducing reliance on new natural resources, the production of components, and associated environmental impacts.
Circularity examples through remanufacture already exist in the tire industry. Industrial leaders like Michelin and Bridgestone use recycled content like recovered Carbon Black (rCB) to close the material loop and remanufacture new tires. Nokian’s concept green tires aim to use rCB, recovered steel wires, and belts from ELTs.
8. Repurpose
Repurpose involves using an end-of-life product or its components for a new purpose. When it is no longer possible to recirculate materials in a closed loop, they can be used in an open loop with or without processing.
For example, all ELTs are used without processing to dampen shock and noise vibrations. Shredded tires are used for several civil engineering purposes, such as eco-friendly paving materials, playground surfaces, bases for construction, etc.
9. Recycle
Recycling involves processing end-of-life products to obtain secondary materials to make new products.
Recycling waste is also crucial. The standard tire recycling method is mechanical processing to produce shreds, chips, and granules. Shreds and chips are used in civil engineering like making athletic tracks, paving blocks, or asphalt for roads. Other methods include devulcanisation and pyrolysis for material recovery.
10. Recover
When the materials have lost value for recycling, energy recovery can be considered through incineration. I
t is the last option in using the material and diverting it from landfilling, which must be reduced or eliminated completely. Instead of fossil fuels, ELTs are incinerated in controlled facilities to produce energy for industrial processes like cement production.
ELT recycling has improved considerably in the last twenty years. In 1994, only 8 per cent ELTs were recycled, and 14 per cent were used for energy recovery; treatment of the remaining 78 per cent ELTs was unknown.
By 2019, ELT recycling had increased dramatically and 52 per cent were used for material recovery, 40 per cent for energy recovery, and 3 per cent for civil engineering uses. Unknown uses were down to 5 per cent, according to a 2023 Tire Industry Project report.
However, ELT management is not standardised among the major tire consumers. The EU collects 91 per cent of ELTs for materials recovery (60 per cent) and energy recovery (>30 per cent). In the USA, only 81 per cent of ELTs are recycled or reused, and in China only 60 per cent of ELTs are treated.
Reinvesting in innovation to drive circularity for the tire industry
None of the above circularity methods will work without reinvesting funds to support R&D efforts to innovate and develop sustainable technologies for the circular economy.
Moreover, cooperation among stakeholders within the tire supply chain will be necessary to develop industry specifications like the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International) to provide useful components and secondary raw materials, and creation of adequate markets for recycled products.
By integrating the circular economy principles through the 10 Rs strategies, it should be possible to make manufacturing sustainable and economically efficient. This will have ripple effects, such as creating thousands of local jobs, saving money for the country and society, and saving the environment through efficient resource use. Joining the circular economy also increases brand value and helps in ESG compliance.
At Contec, we enable tire manufacturers interested in transitioning to a circular economy by providing recovered Carbon Black (ConBlack®), recovered Tire Pyrolysis Oil (ConPyro®), and recovered Steel (ConWire®) from ELTs as sustainable alternatives to current industrial production.
Get in touch to learn more about our solutions.
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