Car tires are a major global waste management problem. The scale of the phenomenon is huge. Every year, over a billion used car tires all over the world end up in landfills or incinerators [1]. This continuous process generates huge amounts of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, contributing to significant climate change. The company that really decided to face this problem is CONTEC - opinions on the importance of the circular economy policy were reflected in the proprietary car tire recycling technology developed by it.
CONTEC opinions: companies shape the future of the industry
Nowadays, environmental issues are the subject of attention not only of citizens, but also of enterprises. The condition of our planet is deteriorating year by year, which the whole world is fully aware of. Some believe that the changes that have taken place in our climate are already irreversible, which, however, does not mean stopping efforts to improve this condition and to slow down the progressing degradation of the environment.
At CONTEC, opinions on this subject are clear - the activities of companies have a significant impact on the environment. Fortunately, more and more of them are taking action to accelerate the transformation of the manufacturing industry towards carbon neutrality. Taking into account the potential of modern technology and the introduction of innovative solutions, there are opportunities in every industry sector to take action that will contribute to reducing CO emissions2and thus improve our environment. Often, the willingness and awareness of a company about its impact on our planet is enough to start production in a more sustainable way.
However, it is important to take real action, not just PR actions. The future today is to use production that can save valuable raw materials for reuse. The CONTEC company is fully aware of this - the opinions of its experts clearly indicate that thanks to recycling with a properly balanced pyrolysis method, the problem of ELT waste can be solved to a large extent. end-of-life tires), the number of which increases significantly each year.
Used tires = recyclable material
Statistics on the wear of car tires clearly show that the increase in this type of waste contributes significantly to the deterioration of our planet. ELTs account for approximately 2%-3% of all global waste [2]. Over a billion used tires are thrown away every year, almost half of which are incinerated, releasing harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere [3]. However, there is an environmentally friendly way to recycle ELTs that also recovers valuable raw materials. It is pyrolysis. Although the method itself is the basis of many technological processes, it has only recently been used for tire recycling.
What is the pyrolysis process?
The pyrolysis process consists in heating shredded tires to high temperatures. It takes place in special reactors and takes place in a controlled atmosphere. Since it is an anaerobic process, a used tire cannot burn. However, despite this, it decomposes. How? When subjected to high temperature, the particles of the composite, which is rubber, decompose into smaller ones. As a result, recovered carbon black and post-piloritic gas are produced.
Most of the gas, when cooled, condenses into aromatic hydrocarbon-rich oil. The remaining gas, because it is an excellent fuel, feeds the entire process. The final product of the process is recovered carbon black. This important material is a sustainable replacement for some grades of carbon black.
Pyrolysis in the CONTEC edition
At CONTEC, the opinions of experts agree. The company's activities must be focused on caring for the future of the environment. Therefore, they improved the pyrolysis process. The word pyrolysis consists of two words: Pyro = heat, lysis = disintegration into parts. During the pyrolysis process, CONTEC recovers:
- 40% high calorific oil;
- soot, which is an ecological alternative to carbon black. It provides 33% pyrolysis production;
- steel, constituting 15% of pyrolysis production, which can be reused, for example, in the production of new tires;
- gas – part of the 12% of recovered gas is currently supplied to the CONTEC plant. The rest will be used to generate electricity for the local community.
Thanks to the introduced innovations, CONTEC has achieved >85% material recovery from the ELT. At the same time, CONTEC is the only producer of recovered carbon black that has used molten salts as a heat carrier in the pyrolysis process. The company is a forerunner when it comes to the creation of Molten technology. Thanks to this innovation, the entire process has become safer, the quality of the products has improved and their environmental impact has been reduced. Through the use of modern technologies, CONTEC aims to become a leader in the tire recycling industry.
CONTEC - opinions on production processes
The most modern technology for recovering soot, oil and steel from used tires is the result of many years of intensive activity of a large group of experts. With such complex processes, a developed research and development base, continuous improvement of the system and high standards are also required.
The quality of products obtained as a result of pyrolysis should be checked at every stage of the production process. Its result proves the reliability and robustness of the processes and technologies used. At CONTEC, the opinions of experts and their efforts to improve the possibilities offered by tire recycling are confirmed by the certificates and awards they have won. CONTEC, as a leader in the development of ELT recycling processes, won the "ESG Leaders" award in 2021 in the "Innovation" category. The proprietary technology is based on 3 main advantages:
- effective and stable production,
- the highest quality pyrolysis products,
- safe and reliable pyrolysis installations.
The achievements of the CONTEC brand - the opinions of the management board confirm this - would not be possible without the involvement of a team of employees in the company's success: technicians, specialists and engineers who watch over every stage of the production process. As technology developers, CONTEC experts are constantly striving to improve technical performance and find new opportunities offered by pyrolysis. Thanks to these activities, the company contributes to further increasing its positive impact on the environment.
What makes the company considered trustworthy, credible and focused on continuous development? It builds its image by consistently striving for a modern transformation of the industry in its activities, in accordance with climate neutrality. These activities are reflected in implementation of an innovative process of using molten salt as a heat carrier, experience gained over several years or cooperation with the Warsaw University of Technology.
Sources:
[1] Forbes
[2] AZOCleantech.com
[3] EHS Daily Advisor