Belgium set a record in 2023 by collecting 87,441 tonnes of used tyres, according to the latest annual report by Recytyre, a company which specialises in the recycling of tyres.
The greatest increase was in the number of tyres collected from private cars, which rose by 20% between 2013 and 2023.
Recytyre reports that 99.97% of tyres collected were turned into granules, sold second-hand, or retreaded. Rubber granules are used for new applications such as playground mats and athletics tracks; 93.14% of tyres collected in 2023 underwent this recycling process. Retreading accounted for 3.59% of those collected (6.49% in 2014), while 2.77% were reused (9.28% in 2014).
Notably, just 0.03% were used to produce energy in the cement industry, compared to 19.48% in 2014.
Government targets for reuse or retreading are more challenging to meet. Recytyre is planning a campaign to encourage transport companies to use more retreaded tyres.
The European Commission’s decision to ban the sale of rubber and polymer granules for synthetic sports fields from 2031 requires a reinvention in the industry, Recytyre notes. Pyrolysis – the chemical process of heating tyres to around 500 degrees in an oven to extract carbon black and oil – is a potential new application. Several projects are planned in Belgium.
