Rubber granulate (ELT) from used tyres is a valuable secondary raw material for a wide range of sustainable, durable products for municipal urban development, the landscaping industry and many more. The granulate is obtained from used tyres in an environmentally friendly recycling process, can be individually coloured and formed into any shape. The high-quality new products made from rubber granulate (ELT) are robust, weather-resistant, non-slip and easy to clean.
Avoiding waste, conserving natural resources
The use of recycled rubber granulate (ELT) as good as new helps to promote the circular economy, avoid waste, conserve natural resources and minimise CO2-emissions. Every tonne of used tyres that is recycled (and not incinerated) saves 700 kg of CO2-emissions.
The multi-stage, environmentally friendly recycling process for the rubber granulate (ELT) begins with a visual inspection of those used tyres that can no longer be reused or retreaded. Tyres suitable for recycling are broken down into their original components: around 75 percent rubber, around 15 percent tyre wire and around ten percent textile fibre.
Environmentally friendly recycling of used tyres
In the first step, the used tyres are torn into palm-sized pieces by a shredder. Knives then shred the robust raw material to such an extent that the tyre wire can be removed with the help of magnets. Only then do the rubber chips enter the fine granulation process. This is where the high-quality rubber granulate (ELT) is produced, which can be manufactured in various qualities and grain sizes and coloured individually according to customer requirements.
Wide range of recycled products as good as new
The reclaimed, versatile recycled material is processed by innovative companies into a wide range of high-quality products. Some of these consist of over 90 per cent recycled rubber and caoutchouc materials. The spectrum ranges from elastic floor coverings for playgrounds, terraces and sports fields to construction protection mats for green roofs and photovoltaic systems to infill granules for artificial turf.
The rubber granulates (ELT) from the NEW LIFE partners come from used tyres of EU origin. This ensures that the granules comply with the REACH regulation. The recycling of used tyres into rubber granulate (ELT) is thoroughly sustainable. Where many primary raw materials have to be transported over thousands of kilometres, the transport routes for used tyres and rubber granulate (ELT) are comparatively short, resulting in additional economic and ecological benefits.
The short economic cycles reduce dependence on imported raw materials. In addition, a large part of the value creation takes place in Germany. The recycling of used tyres into rubber granulate (ELT) creates hundreds of skilled jobs in Germany, which leads to corresponding tax revenues and social security contributions.
