Extended producer responsibility has had a large impact on the way Europe tackles the looming rubber problem. Rubber is a fantastic material with a wide variety of applications; however, it is a material that is extremely hard to dispose of. To comply with Extended Producer Responsibility regulations, tyre manufacturers across Europe have begun improving the quality of the products produced, while improving the methods that are used to recycle car tyres.

The circular economy

By improving both the lifespan and the recyclability of rubber products, European countries such as Spain and Germany are aiming to benefit from a “Circular Economy”. The basic goals of the circular economy are to reduce waste and manage the usage of raw materials through the reuse of recycled materials.

Alongside the environmental benefits, there has been a positive knock-on effect for the consumer. The average tyre is now designed to remain safer and last longer, While the process is known as “retreading” has been researched further and now allows us to retread old tires up to three times, keeping costs lower for the consumer and reducing the usage of raw materials in tyre production.

Tyre Retreading

Retreading a tyre was long considered to be unsafe. Whilst improving the efficacy of rubber tyres the methods used to re-tread tyres was improved considerably, allowing us to reduce waste caused by vehicle tyres by a considerable amount.

When tyres are undergoing the process of retreading, it is important that the scraps are kept as they can be broken down and used in many other applications.

How is recycled rubber reused?

Recycled rubber is extremely versatile and is reused in a variety of different ways. The best example is vehicle tyres, after the life of the tire has expired, the tire is broken down into individual components and repurposed.

Firstly, the metal frame and fabric materials in the tyre are removed and re-purposed or reused, next, the rubber is shredded and broken down to rubber granules. The rubber granules are the real star of the show! The granules can be used in the creation of roofing materials, flooring such as asphalt, shock-absorbing mats for gyms and schools and even paving blocks for tiles.
If you are unsure of any EPR regulations that may impact your business, contact us at TBA today for more information!