Advantages of recycled products | New Life Initiative

Use resources wisely

Natural resources are often scarce and therefore particularly valuable. The production and use of recycled material from End-of-life tyres (ELT) is evidence of responsible behaviour.

Recyclates - of high quality

The production and use of recyclates is sustainable precisely when less CO₂ is emitted and there are no health risks for humans. This is the case with recycled products made from ELT, for example. There are more and more ProductsIn addition, the quality of the secondary raw material is so high that it can be optimally utilised by industry as a substitute for natural resources.

NEW LIFE promotes the use of recyclates and is working to ensure that Consumers recognise the advantages of recycled products and demand such products.

Good for the environment

Producing secondary raw materials from used tyres instead of incinerating them has several advantages for the environment:

Less acid rain - the sulphur content of used tyres remains bound in the secondary raw material
CO2 savings: 1-2 tonnes less CO2 per tonne of used tyres
Less mining of iron ore through further use of steel from used tyres
Less deforestation of rainforests, as no rubber plantations need to be cultivated for recycled products
Sensible use of a product for new products

Circular economy using the example of tyres

In Germany alone, around 584,000 tonnes of used tyres are produced every year - tyres are an innovative product with valuable ingredients, but have a comparatively short service life due to tyre abrasion and the associated reduction in tread depth. - Depending on the mileage, this is usually between one and six years. Once the tyres, which are largely made of high-quality rubber, have been used, they can be disposed of - but this does not comply with the principle of the perfect circular economy, which aims to use and process raw materials in a way that conserves resources.

Accordingly, used tyres are shredded and broken down into their individual components to make very high-quality products that can often be used for much longer than a tyre. Think of safety surfaces on playgrounds or artificial turf pitches for professional football. This means that the original product is returned to the material cycle and also has outstanding properties that are superior to other products when used in this way.

Policymakers in Germany and the EU are clearly in favour of an optimal circular economy in order to act and consume in an ecologically and economically sensible and responsible manner.