Circular tyre economy on the brink of collapse: saviours wanted!
"Circular economy must become a driver for environmental and climate protection!"
(Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke, 20 April 2024)
Time to act: Set the course for the Circular Economy!
In response to climate change, it is now more important than ever to avoid waste, use products for as long as possible and efficiently keep raw materials in the material cycle at the end of their life cycle. Circular economy must become the driver for environmental and climate protection.
A model for the ecologically and economically beneficial implementation of a circular economy based on the cradle-to-cradle principle is the recycling of used tyres, which is also used as a source of raw materials. without government grants or subsidies works.
Unfortunately, the COP29 climate summit did not deliver what would have been necessary to respond to the escalating climate crisis. The National Circular Economy Strategy (NKWS) adopted by the Federal Cabinet on 4 December 2024 sets the framework for reducing the consumption of primary raw materials and promoting a circular economy in Germany, but remains vague and unambitious in many respects. This jeopardises the consistent expansion of the circular economy. NEW LIFE is therefore taking the initiative and appealing to the responsible politicians to save the (tyre) circular economy from collapse and secure the future of the circular economy.
10 facts about climate-friendly recycling of used tyres
A round deal for climate protection
Avoid waste, save emissions, conserve resources
In Germany, more than 42% of the approximately 44.35 million used tyres were recycled in a climate-friendly manner in 2022. The used tyres are broken down into their components and processed into secondary raw materials: Textile fibres (approx. 10%), steel wire (approx. 15%) and rubber/rubber (approx. 75%). This avoids around 225,000 tonnes of waste per year, conserves natural resources, keeps valuable raw materials in circulation, saves over 150,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions and reduces dependence on raw material imports. In addition, a large part of the value creation takes place in Germany.
Every tonne of used tyres that is recycled (and not incinerated) saves around 700 kg of CO2 emissions. In Germany, that is 157,500 tonnes of CO2 per year or 4.99 kg of CO2 per second.
In Germany, around 225,000 tonnes of used tyres are sent for climate-friendly recycling every year. This avoids a corresponding amount of waste per year or around 7.13 kg of waste per second.
Around 65 per cent of tyres are made of rubber. By recycling around 225,000 tonnes of used tyres every year, approximately 146,250 tonnes of rubber can be kept in circulation. That is 4.64 kg of rubber/rubber per second.
The recycled rubber/rubber produced annually in Germany through used tyre recycling corresponds to the annual yield of approx. 114,700 hectares of rubber plantations. This means that a correspondingly large area of rainforest in South East Asia can be saved from deforestation. This corresponds to around 36.4 square metres of rainforest per second.
Sustainable quality products made from used tyre rubber granulate
Rubber granulate from used tyres is a valuable secondary raw material for a wide range of sustainable, high-quality (recycled) products that also pay off both ecologically and economically in public construction projects and urban development projects. The product spectrum ranges from elastic flooring for playgrounds and sports fields to weatherproof flood and building protection to durable kerb ramps and rubber asphalt. Products made from used tyre rubber granulate can be recycled again at the end of their life cycle, reused as a raw material and kept in the material cycle.
The use of (recycled) products made from tyre rubber granulate by the public sector is promoted by the Closed Substance Cycle Waste Management Act (KrWG). § Section 45 obliges federal authorities, among other things, to "give preference in construction projects to products that have been manufactured using production processes that conserve raw materials, save energy, are low in pollutants or minimise waste."
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Save the forward-looking tyre circular economy
The NEW LIFE initiative supports the National Circular Economy Strategy (NKWS) for Germany, but calls for adequate consideration to be given to the sustainable recycling of used tyres. The recycling of used tyres is in line with the guiding principles of the NKWS for the transformation to a resource-conserving economy.
Some of the NKWS objectives are already fulfilled in exemplary fashion by the recycling of used tyres. For example, it keeps valuable raw materials in the cycle, which helps to conserve natural resources. It also reduces dependence on raw material imports and saves 700 kg of CO2 emissions per tonne of used tyres (compared to incineration), which is in line with the NKWS goal of decarbonisation.
In order to further expand the proven, climate-friendly processes for used tyre recycling and the production of sustainable recycled products from tyre rubber granulate and to secure the future of the circular economy in Germany, we consider the implementation of the following measures to be essential and ask for your support.
- Our demands:
- Used tyres that can no longer be retreaded must preferably be sent for environmentally friendly recycling.
- The export of used tyres to non-European countries must be banned.
- All tyres used in Europe must also be recycled in Europe.
- Used tyres that are still used as fuel must be recycled. Only non-recyclable tyres may be thermally recycled.
- Recycled rubber granulate contains firmly bound PAHs, the migration of which cannot be measured under realistic conditions. As part of the EU Commission's review of current PAH limit values, hazard-related, migration- and emission-based measurement methods must be implemented at EU level in order not to jeopardise the sustainable recycling of used tyres and to safeguard jobs in the German SME sector.
- All regulations and certifications should be checked for their suitability for the circular economy. The use of recycled materials should be encouraged and not prohibited.
The implementation of these measures can secure the future of sustainable used tyre recycling. without government grants or subsidies secure numerous jobs in SMEs, strengthen Germany's position as a pioneer in the circular economy and at the same time make an important contribution to climate and environmental protection.
Time to act
Support the rescue of the (tyre) circular economy