In a groundbreaking development for the United Kingdom’s recycling industry, Suez Recycling and Recovery UK has signed an exclusive one-year agreement with Pyrum Innovations, a pioneering company based in Dillingen/Saar, Germany. The partnership aims to establish the UK’s first-ever plant utilizing Pyrum’s patented pyrolysis technology for recycling end-of-life tires.
Over the next 12 months, Suez will work closely with Pyrum to identify an ideal location for the groundbreaking facility and initiate the necessary approval processes. The proposed plant will comprise three state-of-the-art pyrolysis reactors, capable of recycling approximately 20,000 tons of end-of-life tires annually.
What sets Pyrum’s pyrolysis reactor technology apart is its ability to extract high-quality raw materials from tires, while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions. Compared to conventional recycling methods, Pyrum’s innovative process can save up to an impressive 72% of CO2 emissions.
During pyrolysis, the tires undergo a transformative process, wherein they are meticulously broken down into their core components: oil, carbon black, and pyrolysis gas. The recovered carbon black finds new life in the manufacturing of fresh tires, contributing to a more sustainable circular economy. BASF, a global leader in chemical manufacturing, collaborates with Pyrum to recycle the extracted oil into innovative new products. Furthermore, the pyrolysis gas generated in the process is utilized to power the plant, ensuring a self-sustaining operation.
A notable advantage of utilizing pyrolysis oil is that products manufactured using a mass balance approach exhibit the same properties as those made from primary fossil resources. Moreover, these products boast a significantly smaller carbon footprint than their conventional counterparts. Sphera, a prominent consulting company, conducted a study revealing that one ton of polyamide 6 (PA6) manufactured with Pyrum’s thermolysis oil emits approximately 1.3 tons less CO2 compared to PA6 derived from fossil-based raw materials.
Tire reinforcements, a crucial component in vehicle manufacturing, are predominantly composed of polyester or viscose/rayon fabrics, with an average textile fiber content ranging between 0.25 to 0.35 kilograms per tire. Light commercial vehicles employ polyester and steel reinforcements, with textile reinforcement weighing approximately 0.30 to 0.35 kilograms per tire. Currently, radial medium and heavy commercial vehicle tires primarily incorporate steel reinforcements, while cross-ply tires feature approximately 4 to 5 kilograms of polyamide-based textile reinforcement per tire.
The partnership between Suez Recycling and Recovery UK and Pyrum Innovations marks a significant leap forward in sustainable tire recycling. By leveraging Pyrum’s cutting-edge technology, the UK will revolutionize its approach to end-of-life tire management, reducing CO2 emissions, and creating a circular economy that ensures valuable resources are recycled and reused. As the first plant of its kind in the country, it will set a precedent for future environmentally conscious initiatives, highlighting the importance of innovation in tackling global waste challenges.