Re-Tired: The Norwegian Company Repurposing Old Rubber Tires Into Oil

Tires have a finite lifespan. And as such, it contributes to excessive waste at the end of its life. According to Interesting Engineering, wheels can only last between 20,000 and 40,000 miles. A billion of them each year find their way to the junkyard. Well, that number is set to grow to five billion per year by the decade’s end. 
 
Wastefront, a waste tire recycling company, and Swedish firm Hulteberg Chemistry & Engineering are partnering to solve the problem by turning used tires into gas. The partnership has, in turn, been granted US$2.04 million from Eureka Eurostars.
 
According to Wastefront, the money will go towards an oil purification scheme known as Hyfuel. This project aims to develop a catalyst approach to purify pyrolysis oil extracted from end-of-life tires (ELTs).

By enhancing some of the properties of tire-derived oil (TDO) when converted into renewable fuels for various purposes, Wastefront is able to boost the exceptional value of its current biofuel offering to its commercial customers.
 
The pretreatment of pyrolysis feed and the introduction of TDO allows Hyfuel’s pyrolysis oil to substitute diesel fuel. The process is also lower in energy consumption and carbon emissions as it does not require high temperatures to create the gas.

 
In addition, fuel is not the only avenue Wastefront is looking into. Recently, the company partnered with Newcastle University in England to study new methods of retrieving carbon black from old wheels. The procured material will be washed, milled, and used as reinforcement for natural rubber in future rubber production or as a filler for plastics.
 
In total, this process will help reduce the emissions for each tire produced by 80% by 2025.
 
 
 
[via Interesting Engineering and Recycling Today, Photo 14402665 © Sigurdur Brynjarsson | Dreamstime.com]