Tyromer Technology Asia Official Website
Tyromer’s Sustainability Impact
A Leading Technology for Tire Recycling and Reuse
The Environmental Impact of End-of-Life Tires
End-of-life tires are a global environmental challenge. More than one billion tires reach the end of their useful life worldwide every year. A new tire retains approximately 80% of its original rubber content when it reaches the end of its service life, yet opportunities to reuse this material remain limited. With few viable alternatives, nearly half of end-of-life tires are used as fuel, potentially harming air quality while recovering only a fraction of the energy invested in producing the original tire rubber.
At Tyromer, we see end-of-life tires as valuable renewable resources. Through our environmentally responsible rubber devulcanization technology, waste tire rubber can be transformed into a new, versatile, high-quality rubber compound known as Tire-Derived Polymer (TDP). TDP can be reused in its original application—tire manufacturing—enabling true Tire-to-Tire circularity.
Unlike most conventional rubber recycling methods, Tyromer’s process uses no devulcanization chemicals or chemical additives, offering a cleaner and more energy-efficient approach to rubber recycling.
Tyromer is also preparing to complete and release a third-party Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to further evaluate the environmental impact of its technology.
Environmental & Economic Benefits
Comparing Tire Recycling Technologies
In the pursuit of sustainable end-of-life tire solutions and a circular economy, three major approaches are commonly considered: devulcanization, micronized rubber powder (MRP), and pyrolysis.
1. Micronized Rubber Powder (MRP)
MRP is produced by grinding rubber at low temperatures into very fine particles, typically ranging from 80 to 120 mesh. By comparison, rubber powder used in conventional reclaimed rubber production in China is generally around 40 mesh.
MRP production is energy-intensive and costly, and the resulting material has limited elasticity. It can also significantly increase compound viscosity, which generally restricts its use primarily to a filler.
2. Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis involves heating end-of-life tires to high temperatures to break them down into products such as oil, carbon black (CB), and steel.
However, product quality can vary, and the process involves complex output streams. Incomplete pyrolysis, oxygen ingress, or improper handling of hazardous by-products may create environmental risks. Its overall economic viability can also be uncertain.
3. Tire-Derived Fuel (TDF): Energy Recovery
A significant proportion of end-of-life tires worldwide are used for energy recovery through combustion. However, as illustrated by the tire recycling hierarchy, Tire-Derived Fuel (TDF) represents one of the lowest levels of resource recovery because the material is burned rather than reused.
4. TDP: Advancing Tire-to-Tire Circularity
Although micronized rubber powder (MRP) is used in various rubber applications, its suitability for new tire manufacturing is generally more limited than that of Tire-Derived Polymer (TDP).
Tyromer’s environmentally responsible devulcanization technology transforms end-of-life tire rubber into TDP, allowing the recovered material to be reused in its original application—tire manufacturing.
By returning tire rubber to tire production, TDP represents a higher-value approach to recycling and helps advance true Tire-to-Tire circularity.
Energy Recovered Through Tire Combustion
(Tire-Derived Fuel, TDF):
36%
Energy Savings from Using Tyromer TDP in Tires
(Compared with Virgin Tire Rubber):
90%
Tyromer Represents:
01
Reducing Rubber Consumption
Reduces Dependence on Virgin Rubber Resources — both natural and synthetic rubber.
02
Reducing
Air Pollution
More than half of end-of-life tires are burned for their fuel value as Tire-Derived Fuel (TDF).
03
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Reduces environmental hazards associated with end-of-life tires and greenhouse gas emissions from virgin tire rubber production, while saving over 90% of the energy required to produce new tire rubber.
04
Circular Economy
Provides a reusable rubber resource and a sustainable alternative to virgin rubber, supporting greater sustainability for tire manufacturers.
Delivering Greater Environmental and Economic Benefits
Tyromer’s environmentally responsible devulcanization technology transforms end-of-life tire rubber into a high-quality, versatile rubber compound known as Tire-Derived Polymer (TDP). TDP can be reused in new tire manufacturing, enabling high-value recycling and true Tire-to-Tire circularity.
Tyromer’s technology helps tire and rubber manufacturers reduce their carbon footprint and improve sustainability, while offering end-of-life tire management organizations a proven approach to recovering value from this vast, underutilized resource.