Around the world massive heaps of discarded tires or yards where end-of-life tires are piled up still represent a plague for any environment. These are sorry sights that could well be avoided, for the sake of the environment and also because, as an abused saying goes, end-of-life tires are not a problem but a resource. Their disposal is not a cost, because all the materials of which they are made up - rubber, textile fibres, steel - can be recycled in a cost-effective manner. All it takes is to set up an efficient supply chain for their reuse, which can also include the waste materials from retreading and regrooving. At Autopromotec, The Future of Tyre Retreading and Recycling conference took stock of tire retreading and recycling. Moderated by David Wilson, founder, and editor of Retreading Business magazine, it featured talks by six key players in the industry: three from the retreading sector and three from recycling.
Retreading, still much needs to be done
The conference was introduced by Airp President Stefano Carloni, who mentioned how the retreading industry has failed to make significant strides in recent years. Both the association he presides over, and its European counterpart Bipaver have been pushing for years in favour of regulations making eco-design mandatory also among tire manufacturers, but the automotive sector has not been included among the ones to which these standards are applied. "What we are missing – he added - are rewarding mechanisms for virtuous choices: casing ratings, mandating 100 percent use of retreaded tires in certain sectors such as local public transportation, and guaranteeing tax credits to virtuous companies."
The importance of a tire designed sustainably from the beginning was also emphasized by Marco Mangialardo, Innovation manager at Michelin Italy, a company that for years has not only designed its tires with a view to their retreading and recycling but is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its production cycles, with a goal of producing, by 2030, 50 percent of the carbon dioxide generated in 2010.
Vittorio Marangoni, ceo of Italy's leading retreading company, pointed out how retreading can play a major role in reducing carbon footprint (-70% raw materials, 65% energy, 95% CO2, 29% land consumption, 21% harmful emissions, and 19% water consumption) adding that "the process of applying new sidewalls and treads can be decarbonized as well; devulcanizing waste rubber reduces dependence on synthetic rubber, which is now partly imported from Russia. Finally, retreading fosters a local supply chain, which deglobalizes the economy by reducing international dependencies and transportation impacts."
David Stevens of the Tire Retread Information Bureau (U.S.) emphasized the historical presence of retreaders in the U.S. (the technology originated in 1912), the 268,000 jobs they provide, and the industry's $28 billion turnover. "The new challenge," he explained, "is to make retreading a normal practice also for light-duty transportation as it already is in the heavy-duty sector." For this, and also for the greater awareness of truck fleet managers, information campaigns are needed to make the end user aware of the environmental and economic benefits of retreads.
The world of secondary raw materials
In the second session of the conference, Claus Lamer, of the Austrian consulting firm Weibold, which specializes precisely in ELT management, described the pyrolysis cycle and the secondary raw materials, from recycled carbon black to oil, that can be made from ELTs. These materials, the specialist explained, are the subject of increasing market demand, demonstrating how proper eco-friendly management is cost-effective. Dario Andreani, founder of the Chilean start-up Sustrendlab, presented T-phite graphite, derived from the pyrolysis of ELTs and very promising for manufacturing battery anodes, which have shown significantly greater resistance than those using graphite of synthetic or fossil origin: an example of upcycling, i.e., recycling toward products with high added value. The Ecopneus consortium, represented by general manager Federico Dossena, presented the results of the last financial year and the new logo that underscores the perfect circularity of the economy generated by the retreading industry, and then dwelt on Ecopneus' long-standing commitment to making the most of secondary raw materials derived from end-of-life tires.
Virtuous projects and careers
The Recircle Awards 2022, organized by Valebridge Media Services in collaboration with Autopromotec, were presented at the end of the conference. The awards recognize those who have distinguished themselves in applying principles of circular economy to the world of tires. Marangoni took home both the Best Tire Retreader Award and the Circular Economy Award. Best supplier of tire retreading accessories and products was Vipal, while the best product derived from tire recycling was judged to be Sustrendlab's T-phite graphite. The best project on tire recycling was judged to be that of Leticia Saìz Rodriguez and José Maria Bernejo Muñoz. Best business executive prize was awarded to Patricia Malnati, president of Argentine rubber supplier Jomsalva, while Giovanni Corbetta, former general manager of the Ecopneus consortium, received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Tire Recycling.
