Used Tyres

Tires are a non-biodegradable waste, and landfilling is not an environmentally friendly solution. They take up significant space, contaminate the ground water they reside in, and can be a breeding ground for disease carrying pests (Ramarad et al., 2015).

Pneumatici Usati

However, if they are broken down into their component parts and recycled, these can be used for a number of applications. They can be blended with polymer matrices (thermosets, thermoplastics and rubbers) for low cost, green composite blends that can be used in different applications such as mats, playground surfaces, athletic tracks and automotive parts.

They can also be broken down in pyrolytic reactors to produce products such as oil, gas, and char which can be upgraded into valuable inputs for other processes. One example of this is the patented Reverse Polymerization technology that Environmental Waste International Inc. of Ajax, Ontario, uses to recycle tires and other materials.

The Tyre Recycling Revolution: Innovative Solutions For Used Tyres

The RP process is a patented technique that utilizes microwaves to extract tire oil from the rubber compounds inside. It produces no emissions, and the plant is designed to recycle about 300,000 tires per year.

This system also generates heat that can be used to create electricity and steam. It can also recover carbon black, which is used in the production of asphalt concrete and other paving materials.

A TRU can process up to 2 tonnes of rubber crumb per hour. It is an efficient and economical process, and can be deployed in small or large volumes. The resulting syngas has a high calorific value, and can be used for power or steam generation.

Recycled tyres can also be used to make new asphalt concrete and other construction products. They can be partially devulcanized to improve their compatibility and binding properties when incorporated into these products.

Alternatively, tyres can be incinerated to provide energy for heat in steelworks and cement kilns. This is known as ‘energy recovery’ and occurs at about half of Europe’s tyre stockpiles.

These systems can be a good alternative to coal in terms of energy yield. They can be a cheaper alternative for coal-fired power stations, and they do not produce nitrous oxides or other harmful pollutants.

In addition, tyres can be reused in the production of a wide range of other products including paving materials such as rubber modified asphalt. This paving material has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of a roadway significantly and could be a viable option for those who are looking to create net-zero roads in their communities.

The recyclability of tyres can be achieved by a series of processing techniques that remove the metal components and other support materials that are often found in tyres. The first step involves mechanically breaking up the tyres in a tyre shredder or grinder.

After the tyres are broken up, a variety of chemical and mechanochemical treatments can be used to separate the rubber from other components. This includes a range of additives, such as sulfur compounds and different stabilizers and anti-ozonants, that may be added to the raw tyre rubber.