PIF2024 - Improving tyre circularity: a holistic closed-loop recycling approach (PID2023-147542OB-I00)

The main objective of this project is the development of a low-cost, industrially scalable, holistic and closed-loop approach for the recycling of up to 95% of end-of-life tyre (ELT) materials and their use as new raw materials to improve the sustainability of the tyre industry. To achieve this goal, a combination of a sorting treatment and a novel selective chemical recycling approach will address the unsolved issue of recycling the complex discarded textile waste stream (up to 15% w/w of the end-of-life tyre). On the other hand, to increase the sustainability, quality and especially the applicability of recycled products (recycled carbon black and rubber, respectively) in the tyre industry, the use of two complementary recycling approaches such as pyrolysis and devulcanisation is mandatory for ground tyre rubber (GTR).