NEW LIFE initiative with innovative products made from ELT recycling

Willich, 17 August 2020    ELT granulate is a versatile material. The granulate is produced in a complex RecyclingThe tyres are recovered from end-of-life tyres (ELT) using the end-of-life process. After a visual inspection, those used tyres that can no longer be reused or retreaded undergo a multi-stage treatment process. The tyres are broken down into their original components: around 75 percent rubber, around 15 percent tyre wire and around ten percent textile fibre. In the first step, the tyres are torn into palm-sized pieces by a shredder. In the next step, knives shred the 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 so-called fine granulation process. This is where the ELT granulate is produced, which can be manufactured in various qualities and grain sizes. The released textile fibres are continuously extracted during the process and usually sent for thermal recycling, while the steel residues are processed into short steel threads and used by the steel industry.

The journey of ELT granulate only begins here: The versatile recycling material is processed by innovative companies into a wide range of products. The special thing about these products: They are sustainable through and through. On the one hand, the ELT granulate is produced in a recycling process, and on the other hand, the mountains of used tyres - around 583,000 tonnes of used tyres are produced every year in Germany alone - are mostly recycled and processed regionally. Whereas new raw materials are transported over long distances, the transport routes for used tyres and granulate are comparatively short. Another special feature: in their second life, the rubber granules from the tyres are often used for much longer than before. For example, as flooring in playgrounds, as insulation in new buildings, as vases or as decking.

What is made from ELT granulate
A brief overview of recycled products made from ELT

Covers and wall systems made of ELT recycled material are used wherever people, animals, building elements or vehicles need to be protected, for example as impact or edge protection against scratches on cars, in horse stables to protect the wall and the horse or in playgrounds.

Anti-slip mats made from high-quality ELT recycled material are ideal for securing loads during transport. The anti-slip mats reduce slippage on smooth loading surfaces and therefore also the pre-tensioning force required when lashing down and the number of lashing devices required.

The outstanding properties of the raw material ELT are particularly evident in the area of Floor coverings for play, sport, leisure and construction. It is not only excellent fall protection, but also sound-absorbing, robust and resilient. This makes it interesting for countless areas of application:

• Levelling fills
• Building protection
• Floor coverings for golf courses
• Fall protection floors and slabs
• Fitness floors
• Garage panels
• Climbing hall floors
• Artificial turf and artificial turf elastic layers
• Exhibition floors
• Paving stones
• Vibration isolation
• Safety floors for shooting ranges
• Stable mats, paddock slabs and horse floors
• Tartan tracks
• Terrace and balcony coverings
• Impact sound insulation
• Winter sports floors

A crack in the gutter or on the cellar wall, a small hole in the flat roof or on the wall: all of these can be optimally repaired with Sealing compound with ELT can be repaired. The sealant forms a waterproof, super strong rubber skin for all types of structural waterproofing.

Edging and boundary systems made from ELT Recycling are ideal for outdoor boundaries. Whether as path edging, hockey boards, support palisades, boundary posts or cylinders: the edging is easy to clean, extremely weather-resistant and minimises damage in the event of collisions.

Products with a Rubber-metal connection allow completely new possibilities, for example as a seesaw damper, pendulum and swing seat or toddler swing seat.

Rubber granulate and rubber powder from ELT Recycling are valuable raw materials for numerous soil applications and other products. The range of applications is almost endless thanks to the different formulations.

Outdoor lamps made from ELT Recycled products offer high UV, weather and stability resistance and also look particularly stylish.

For an optimum driving experience, ELT Drive-over and kerb ramps manufactured. These are not only extremely weather-resistant and durable, but also reduce the risk of damage to kerbs. In addition to use for vehicles, the ramps are also suitable for minimising steps for rollators or wheelchairs.

Noise barriers made of ELT Recycling can be used in your own garden as well as in public play and sports areas, skate parks, hotels and catering establishments. In addition to their positive sound-absorbing properties, they can also be used as mobile privacy screens.

Protective and separating layers for photovoltaic systems ensure that elements of solar installations do not damage the roof waterproofing on flat roofs. Mats made of ELT are ideal for this purpose.

Playground accessories: Romping, running, playing - there's a lot going on in playgrounds. To minimise the risk of injury, fall protection slabs are indispensable. But other playground equipment is also made from products with ELT content, offering the greatest fun without any danger.

Thanks to the innovative material mix Vases from ELT Recycling is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. In addition to the insulating effect that protects plants, the vases offer many other advantages: they are unbreakable, have a high dead weight so that they are very stable, are frost-resistant and are not damaged even by minor contact with vehicles.

Buy recycled products made from ELT
The partners of the NEW LIFE initiative return used tyres to the recycling cycle in a variety of ways. ELT products can be used in the commercial and private sectors. Purchasers in local authorities, project planners in architects' offices and responsible end customers who wish to use recycled products can find information on recycling products made from ELT and contacts to the manufacturers at www.initiative-new-life.de.

About NEW LIFE:

NEW LIFE's partners are Conradi+Kaiser living industries, Estato Umweltservice, Genan, KRAIBURG Relastec, KURZ Karkassenhandel, Melos, MRH and REGUPOL BSW. In Germany alone, around 583,000 tonnes of used tyres are generated each year that need to be recycled. The resulting recycled products, in particular rubber granules and flour, are ideal for the resource-saving development of innovative products in a wide range of applications. These partner companies of the NEW LIFE campaign have set themselves the goal of promoting sustainable products made from ELT and sensitising people to conscious consumption.

Downloads for the press release

Press release as PDF:

Material ELT granulate - How it is produced and what it becomes (PDF)

Press photos:

Graphic: Components of a used tyre

Product photo: Gratus vase from ELT, manufacturer: Conradi+Kaiser

Product photo: Fitness floor at Fitness First in Munich, manufacturer: REGUPOL BSW