ETRMA reports steady trend in tire-recycling rates

Brussels – In Europe, 92% of end-of-life tires (ELTs) were collected and treated for material recycling and energy-recovery in 2017, new figures from the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association show.

The data covering 32 European states, including the EU28 and Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey, showed that the figure remained on a par with the rates observed in previous years, fluctuating between 93-95%.

The remaining 8% could not be tracked down, ETRMA added. 

According to the ETRMA data, the number of ELTs in Europe rose 4% year-on-year to 3.4 million tonnes in 2017.

Of that amount, about 1.96 million tonnes were treated through material recovery. This includes 1.47 million tonnes which were granulated to recover rubber, steel and textile.

In addition, some 326,000 tonnes of ELTs were incorporated in cement from the coprocessing of tires in cement kilns and 105,000 tonnes were used as “element in civil engineering applications”. 

According to ETRMA, another 1.18 million tonnes of scrap tires went through energy recovery: Some 83% used in cement kilns while the remaining 17% was used in urban heating and power plants.

Due to new regulations introduced in some countries, the quantity of ELTs waiting for treatment is slightly above the previous year’s figures by 50,000 tonnes, ETRMA added.