Pirelli-Led Partnership Aims for ‘Tire-to-Tire’ Circularity

A consortium led by Pirelli, in partnership with Synthos, Pyrum, and BASF, has launched a European initiative to advance tire circularity. The goal is to transform end-of-life tires (ELTs) into recycled materials for new-tire manufacture, creating a ‘tire-to-tire’ circular value chain. The process involves collecting waste tires in Germany, processing them through an industrial chain, and converting them into secondary raw materials, including synthetic rubber, certified under the ISCC+ scheme. Pyrum will use pyrolysis technology to convert ELTs into recovered carbon black (rCB) and tire pyrolysis oil (TPO), which will be upgraded and reintroduced into Pirelli’s European tire production. The rCB will partially replace virgin carbon black, while the TPO will be supplied to BASF for use in producing chemical intermediates. Synthos will then manufacture ISCC+-certified synthetic rubber from the feedstock, which will be supplied to Pirelli for new-tire production. The partners believe that this initiative represents the most comprehensive application of a ‘tire-to-tire’ circular approach to date, demonstrating how ELTs can become a valuable resource within a structured and traceable industrial loop.