Municipalities: Become a pioneer of the circular economy!

On the way to a sustainable future: secondary raw materials as an important building block in municipalities

With sustainable products made from recycled tyres

Environmental and climate protection is one of the most important issues of our time. Municipalities have the opportunity to actively shape the transition from a "throwaway society" to a functioning circular economy. The use of secondary raw materials from end-of-life tyres (ELT) in municipal projects promotes the circular economy, conserves valuable resources and is economical.

Tyre recyclate can be used flexibly. Recycled rubber can be used to produce many durable products that are ideal for local authorities, such as rubber-modified asphalt, flooring for playgrounds and sports fields, fall protection in retirement homes, sound insulation and outdoor lamps.

You can find all the information you need at a glance in our flyer.

In the flyer "Turning old into new - in the highest quality" you will find the following topics.

What does the New Life initiative do?
Acting in a circular way - protecting the environment
Why End-Of-Life Tyres (ELT)?
ELT material for construction
Playgrounds and sports fields
Security for senior citizens

Promoting the circular economy

Recycling is an important basis of existence for future generations. Ideally, the reuse of raw materials creates a closed material cycle in which resources are utilised efficiently and for as long as possible, following the example of natural ecosystems. A comprehensive circular economy encompasses sustainable product design and waste avoidance as well as reuse and recycling.

ELT material: Versatile material for municipalities

The NEW LIFE initiative has conducted a survey of local authorities on the use of secondary raw materials. The result shows: The many possible uses of products made from ELT materials are still far too little known. The NEW LIFE initiative is therefore providing local authorities with a white paper with ten theses to raise awareness of resource conservation and the circular economy.

Focus on municipalities

Climate change is the great challenge of our time. In view of increasingly scarce resources, it is important to utilise raw materials more efficiently, slow down material flows and promote recycling and raw material recovery. In the long term, the rule should be products that are returned to the material cycle and used for as long as possible.

Municipalities have the opportunity to actively shape this change through sustainable action and promote a functioning circular economy. The use of secondary raw materials in municipal projects is of great importance here. In an online survey, the NEW LIFE initiative wanted to find out how important secondary raw materials currently are for local authorities and whether they are already being used across the board. From March to July 2021, cities and municipalities were able to take part in the survey "Use and relevance of secondary raw materials in municipalities" and answer 24 questions about the importance of secondary raw materials for municipal projects. Does the use of secondary raw materials play a role in the decision to award public contracts? Do local authorities feel sufficiently informed about the advantages and disadvantages? Do they use products made from recycled end-of-life tyres (ELT)? The NEW LIFE initiative posed these and many other questions to the participating local authorities.

Most of the participants in the public survey were local authorities from all over Germany, primarily from North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Almost 80 per cent of the participants were managers from relevant specialist areas. A total of 123 municipalities took part in the survey.

Facts, figures and data

Does the use of secondary raw materials play a role in the decision to award public contracts?

Are you familiar with available secondary raw materials in public urban planning?

Do you feel sufficiently informed about the advantages and disadvantages of secondary raw materials?

Is the use of secondary raw materials promoted or required in public tenders in your municipality?

If you have not used secondary raw materials up to now, or have only used them partially, what would lead to this changing?

10 theses on the use of secondary raw materials in municipalities

Expanding the potential of municipalities
Secondary raw materials only play a role in around half of public procurement contracts - a lot of unutilised potential that should be exploited.
More information about the benefits of secondary raw materials
Over 50 % of respondents are not familiar with secondary raw materials. Local authorities need well-founded, easy-to-understand information via all relevant channels.
Legislators must follow suit
Many respondents stated that legal requirements would promote the use of secondary raw materials, e.g. in tenders.
Improve communication about secondary raw materials
The respondents would like more information about secondary raw materials and their possible uses, support with tenders and high quality recycled products.
The price must be right
According to many respondents, the price-performance ratio for the use of secondary raw materials should be appropriate and ideally even more favourable. We need to rethink this in the interests of the environment.
Raising awareness of the wide range of ELT applications
Only 25 % of respondents use products made from recycled old tyres, mainly on playgrounds and sports fields and as rubber asphalt. More information needs to be provided on the other areas of use.
Protecting the climate and environment with ELT
One in three respondents stated that they use secondary raw materials for climate and environmental protection reasons. Best practices should be disseminated as good examples.
Eliminating uncertainties about ELT
The majority of respondents see the lack of experience as the main problem in the extraction of secondary raw materials. Legal uncertainties and excessively high prices are of secondary importance.
Putting sustainability into practice
The majority of respondents are aware of the positive contribution of secondary raw materials to climate and environmental protection. Municipalities should receive maximum support in implementing sustainability.
Many more people should know about it
The municipalities would like to see the topic of secondary raw materials addressed across the board and made better known to the public.