Schwalbe starts production of “first” recovered carbon black tires 

Reichshof, Germany – Schwalbe has started producing its first ‘new series’ tires incorporating recycled carbon black (rCB) from Pyrum Innovations  AG, the German bicycle tire maker has announced. 

The rCB comes from the recycling of end-of-life tires (ELTs), which Schwalbe collects from specialist dealers throughout Germany via the ‘Schwalbe recycling  system’. 

The ELTs are collected via the dealer network in specially-made recycling boxes, picked up and transported to recycling partner Pyrum in Dillingen, Saarland. 

There, tire pyrolysis company Pyrum processes the ELTs in a holistic recycling process that, said Schwalbe, saves 80% CO2 compared to conventional incineration routes. 

"Production of the first bicycle tires to use rCB entirely instead of industrial carbon black is in full swing," reported Schwalbe.  

The rCB tire will be unveiled in June and then available in stores, said Schwalbe, which claims to be the world‘s first manufacturer to take back ELTs and use them to produce new tires.  

The achievement, it noted, is based on a long-standing cooperation and research  partnership between Schwalbe, Pyrum and the Technical University of Cologne.  

The family-owned manufacturer now aims to expand production of Schwalbe tires incorporating rCB and is conducting “intensive research” into adapting its rubber compounds.

Since the project was launched at the start of 2022, more than 1,600 retailers across Germany have joined the scheme, leading to the recycling of around 400,000 tires.