New Alliance Targets Fully Circular Tyre Materials by 2050
The real shift to circularity and sustainability in the industry entails Bridgestone, Grupo BB&G, and Versalis to create an innovative, closed-loop ecosystem for recycling used tires. The collaboration thus aims to change ELTs into new, high-performance tires by means of advanced pyrolysis technology as part of its commitment toward the companies’ shared vision for 100% sustainable materials in tyre manufacturing by the year 2050.
Innovative Technology at Core of Tyre Recycling
Pyrolysis, the centerpiece of this initiative, is a process of thermal decomposition in an oxygen-free environment to break down ELTs into tyre pyrolysis oil. The TPO thus obtained is an essential raw material for new tyres; it can be re-refined and used for the production of high-quality elastomers in the production of new tyres. The properties of the resulting elastomers are at least as good as those derived from more traditional, non-renewable feedstocks; hence, these are credible, sustainable alternatives to traditional tyre materials.
This strategic partnership with industry leaders Bridgestone and Versalis is a quantum leap towards our vision to accelerate tyre recycling worldwide,” said Germano Carreira, CEO of BB&G. “Our thermomechanical process has proven its effectiveness since it was on-stream at our commercial scale plant in Fatima, Portugal, starting in July 2024. But it’s just the beginning of what we can achieve together.”
Sustainability through Collaboration
Tokyo – Bridgestone, one of the world’s major tyre manufacturers, has made a commitment to using 100% sustainable materials in its products by 2050. This, according to Group President of Bridgestone EMEA Laurent Dartoux, is the important step needed to attain that objective. “Recycling and product reuse have been very important along our path to sustainability. With the industry leader Grupo BB&G, along with Versalis, this alliance will be invaluably impactful in meeting our targets and raising new standards in the tyre industry.
BB&G brings valued technology and experience to this partnership, with a reputation for mastery in the thermomechanical processing of ELTs. The plant at Fatima in Portugal acts as validation at commercial scale, showing viability and scalability in technology. This current collaboration represents a landmark in tyre recycling that can really change the vision of resource utilisation and waste management practices in the industry.
In this partnership, Versalis-a chemical subsidiary of Italian energy company Eni-will play a very important role in integrating such recycled TPO into its supply chain. Versalis has been at the forefront of developing circular technologies for polymer recycling; this deal is part of its strategy to diversify feedstocks with renewable sources and secondary raw materials. With BB&G’s TPO, Versalis expands its ISCC PLUS certified Balance® product range; thus, its production is fully in respect of the highest standards of sustainability and traceability in the supply chain.
“In line with our circularity strategy, we have developed lower-carbon solutions,” commented Adriano Alfani, CEO of Versalis. “This agreement has the goal of bringing maximum value to our customers and gives an innovative boost to the tyre industry, furthering our commitment toward more sustainable mobility.”
Sustainability Commitment and Future Impact
Hence, such a closed-loop tyre recycling ecosystem catapults the tyre industry to one of the greatest leaps in sustainability and environmental friendliness. In particular, the partnership focuses on scalable and circular development of supply chains that maximize the lifecycle of the tyres while minimizing waste and improving resource efficiency. This would translate to the first batch of tyres using these recycled materials being produced by early 2025-a time when the journey towards environmentally friendly tyre production will be at a very critical stage.
This initiative also contributes to larger global sustainability goals, such as those encapsulated in the United Nations SDGs. By fostering circularity and reduced reliance on virgin raw material feeds, Bridgestone, BB&G, and Versalis set the example for the wider tyre sector. This cooperation not only takes their products one step further but also paves the way to sustainable development and shows how players in the industry can come together toward highly complex environmental issues.
Setting a New Benchmark in the Tyre Industry
Having innovation and sustainability as the common commitment, Bridgestone, BB&G, and Versalis are driving not an improvement of their diverse respective product lines but a sea change in the way tyres are made. Their collaboration will serve to successfully develop and scale up the global recycling of tyres into a replicable ecosystem-against which others in the industry can benchmark.
As the world moves towards a more sustainable future, initiatives of this kind underline what can be achieved by partnership and technological innovation in the pursuit of ambitious environmental targets. This is where Bridgestone, BB&G, and Versalis truly set the tone for sustainability in the tire industry-proving that, with the right perspective, waste tires can be given a whole new lease on life.