Every year, millions of tyres reach the end of their useful life. But a replaced tyre doesn't disappear. After collection, it can follow several paths: reuse when its condition allows, transformation into secondary materials or valorization in specialized sectors.
The processing of used tyres has become a key issue in the circular economy. Behind a simple tyre change lies an entire industrial chain designed to recover as much of the materials and energy they contain as possible.
1. It all starts with the collection
When a tyre is replaced at a professional garage, it generally enters an organized collection system. The tyres are grouped together before being transported to specialized centers capable of sorting them and directing them to the appropriate solutions.
This first step is essential: a tyre abandoned in nature represents a durable and bulky waste, whereas a properly collected tyre retains significant material value.
2. Not all used tyres are immediately destroyed.
Before any processing, tyres can be sorted according to their condition. Some may still have characteristics compatible with a second use under the conditions stipulated by regulations and the relevant recycling channels.
In other cases, the casing may be of interest for retreading, particularly in certain professional applications. Tyres that have truly reached the end of their lifespan are sent for recycling.
3. Shredding transforms the tyre into usable material
To recover its various components, the tyre can be cut and then progressively shredded. The facilities reduce the size of the pieces until they become granules or rubber powders.
This operation also allows for the separation of some of the other materials present in the tyre, including metallic and textile elements.
4. The steel can return to the metallurgical sectors.
A tyre contains metal reinforcements essential for its strength. After separation, the recovered steel can be sent to metal recycling facilities.
It thus becomes a secondary material that can be used to manufacture new products rather than being permanently lost.
5. Ground rubber has several uses.
Aggregates from tyres can be used in various applications depending on their quality and particle size. They can be used in certain coatings, technical products, or landscaping solutions.
However, research is increasingly focused on preserving the high value of recovered materials in order to promote their reintegration into demanding industrial applications.
6. Can a new tyre be made from an old tyre?
This is one of the most interesting objectives of the circular economy. However, a tyre is a chemically complex product: during its manufacture, the rubber is vulcanized to obtain the properties necessary for its use.
This transformation makes a direct return to the original material difficult. New processes are therefore seeking to recover components with sufficient performance so that some can be reintegrated into the manufacture of new tyres.
7. Pyrolysis opens up another avenue for valorization
Pyrolysis heats tyres in a controlled environment with very little or no oxygen. The process produces various fractions, including oils, gases, and a carbonaceous residue.
After processing and purification, some of these materials can potentially replace a portion of the fossil resources used by industry. However, quality and consistency remain essential issues.
8. The recovered carbon is of particular interest to manufacturers.
Carbon black is widely used in rubber compounds to strengthen tyres. Producing a high-quality carbon material from used tyres could therefore help close the loop further.
Manufacturers are working on improving processes in order to obtain secondary materials that meet the performance requirements of a modern tyre.
9. Some tyres are also used for energy recovery
When material recovery is not possible or relevant, certain sectors can exploit the energy power of tyres in suitable industrial facilities.
This solution allows for the recovery of some of the energy contained in the product, but it does not preserve the material in the same way as recycling. The long-term objective therefore remains to increase the number of solutions that keep more materials within the economic cycle.
10. Why does complete recycling remain difficult?
A tyre combines many components designed to work together for thousands of kilometers: different rubbers, steel, textiles, fillers and additives.
This complexity contributes to its performance on the road, but makes its separation and recycling more difficult. Technologies must succeed in recovering clean, consistent materials that are efficient enough for new uses.
11. Eco-design could facilitate end-of-life management
Future tyres can be developed with greater consideration given to their recyclability from the design stage. The choice of materials and precise knowledge of their composition can facilitate their disposal at the end of their life.
Digital traceability could also allow recyclers to know more precisely the history and composition of a tyre before it is processed.
12. The best waste is also the waste that is delayed.
Recycling is essential, but extending tyre life under good conditions is also important. Proper tyre pressure, correct wheel alignment, and consistent driving habits help limit premature wear.
Using the tyre correctly up to its regulatory and technical limit allows for more value to be derived from the resources already mobilized for its manufacture.
Optimus Future Lab's vision
At the house of Optimus PneusWe consider the end of a tyre's life as an essential stage in its cycle. Collection, sorting, recycling, and new recovery technologies should gradually enable us to transform more used tyres into genuine industrial resources.
The tyre of tomorrow will not only be designed to run more efficiently. It will also need to be designed so that its materials can have a new life after its last kilometer.
Optimus Future Lab deciphers the technologies and innovations that are transforming the tyre, the automobile and the mobility of tomorrow.
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