Transforming end-of-life tyres into recycled materials for new products

A “tyre-to-tyre” project was launched n Europe to advance circularity and reduce reliance on virgin raw materials. Pirelli, Pyrum, Synthos and BASF are jointly advancing a tyre-to-tyre circular economy initiative, driving the development of an industrial ecosystem designed to increase the use of recycled materials derived from end-of-life and scrap tyres.

The process draws on end‑of‑life tyres collected across Germany, from some Driver retail outlets and motorsport activities, as well as scrap tyres collected from Pirelli's Breuberg plant. They are processed through an industrial chain designed to maximise their inner value, converting them into secondary raw materials – including synthetic rubber – certified under the ISCC PLUS scheme. This ensures traceability along the value chain and enables the circular materials’ reintroduction into the manufacturing of new Pirelli tyres, maintaining their highest standards of quality and performance.

Within this process, Pyrum converts end‑of‑life and scrap tyres through a pyrolysis process — a high-temperature thermal decomposition of materials in the absence of oxygen — into two valuable secondary raw materials: recovered carbon black (rCB) and tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO). The recovered carbon black is upgraded in quality and directly reintroduced into Pirelli’s European production, partially replacing virgin carbon black.

At the same time, the TPO is supplied to BASF, where it is co-fed with fossil-based feedstock into the production process of chemical products such as butadiene and styrene. A mass balance approach enables attributing the recycled content to the ISCC PLUS-certified Ccycled® products. These circular materials are then used by Synthos to produce ISCC PLUS‑certified synthetic rubber for high-performance tire applications, which Pirelli reintroduces into its production processes, closing the loop.

The project perfectly reflects that genuine product circularity cannot be achieved by a single company acting alone. It requires creating industrial ecosystems involving players with complementary expertise, each contributing to different phases of the transformation process around a shared material loop. Through collaboration and the combination of technological innovation, material science, and certified processes, the partners, driven by Pirelli, build a coordinated system in which materials are recovered, transformed and reused by maximizing their inner value.

The European tyre‑to‑tyre project represents the most comprehensive application of this approach to date, demonstrating how end‑of‑life tyres can become a valuable resource within a structured and traceable industrial loop.

Established in Milan in 1872, Pirelli is a major player in the tyre industry and the only global manufacturer focused solely on the Consumer tyre market, which includes tyres for cars, motorcycles and bicycles. With a distinctive positioning in High Value tyres, the Group stands as a global brand known for its cutting-edge technology, high-end production excellence and passion for innovation that draws heavily on its Italian roots. Pirelli’s technological excellence is also nourished by the innovation and competencies derived from sporting competitions, in which it has been active for over 115 years. At present, the company participates in over 350 car and motorcycle sport events and since 2011 it has been the Global Tyre Partner to the Formula One™ World Championship.

Pyrum Innovations AG has revolutionised the recycling market for end-of-life tyres. Since 2008, the company has been developing an innovative thermolysis technology that enables end-of-life tires and plastics to be recycled with virtually no emissions. The process can recover high-quality products such as pyrolysis oil and recovered carbon black (rCB) which are used by renowned partners to manufacture new products. In this way, the company closes the material cycle and pursues a sustainable business model in line with climate targets.  

BASF creates chemistry for a sustainable future, combining economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 95,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world.  

Synthos is the largest producer of synthetic rubber in Europe, the world’s leading producer of solution styrene-butadiene rubber (SSBR), and the leading European producer of expanded polystyrene (EPS). Through its synthetic rubber technologies and ISCC PLUS-certified solutions, Synthos supports tyre manufacturers in meeting demanding performance requirements while enabling the use of certified circular feedstock routes. The company’s portfolio includes synthetic rubber, insulation materials, dispersions, adhesives, and crop protection products. Synthos is part of the MS Galleon Group, owned by Michał Sołowow, one of Poland’s leading private investors and industrial entrepreneurs. The company has six production sites in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and France, four research and development centres, and employs around 3,600 people.