Bridgestone rolls out 75% sustainable-material tires

Nashville, Tennessee – Bridgestone Americas has produced 200 demonstration tires made with 75% sustainable materials, the company announced 6 April.

The tires comprise of 37% recycled and 38% renewable materials, including recycled plastic bottles, steel and natural rubber made from guayule.

Furthermore, the tires feature 'recycled carbon black', pyrolysis oil-derived carbon black, and bio-based carbon black, Bridgestone added.

Intended for ‘next-generation’ electric SUV and 'crossover' vehicles, the tires will undergo joint testing with car makers throughout 2023.

The tires, designed at Bridgestone's Akron technology centre, were produced at its passenger/light truck radial tire plant in Graniteville, South Carolina.

The facility, noted Bridgestone, is the first tire manufacturing unit in the US to earn International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) Plus certification.

ISCC is designed to ensure transparency and traceability of sustainable raw materials including bio, bio-circular and circular-based material.

"We are making incredible progress in the use of recycled and renewable materials," claimed Paolo Ferrari, president & CEO, Bridgestone Americas.

The 75% sustainable tires, he added, is a milestone in Bridgestone’s strategy "to bring sustainable tire technology from the drawing board to the driveway."

Furthermore, Japan-based Bridgestone has set itself a mid-way target of designing a 90% sustainable-materials tire for passenger cars.