Versalis partners with Bridgestone and BB&G Group: how end-of-life tyres will be recycled

Versalis, Bridgestone EMEA and BB&G Group are teaming up to give end-of-life tyres (Pfu) a second life. The agreement thus brings together the innovative capacity, experience and technological expertise of the three companies, aiming to develop a model for the creation of an increasingly sustainable supply chain on an industrial scale.

But how many tyres need to be recycled? The updated numbers come from the Tyre Industry Project of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), according to which approximately one billion tyres reach the end of their life cycle. Bridgestone, Versalis and BB&G have therefore committed to creating innovative and more sustainable solutions for the synthetic rubber industry, helping to maximise the complete life cycle of tyres. The partnership will help support the sustainability goals of all three companies.

End-of-life tyres (Pfu) will be transformed by pyrolysis - the process by which organic materials are decomposed through heat - into an oil (TPO - Tyre Pyrolysis Oil) that can be used to create high-quality elastomers comparable to those obtained from traditional feedstock for the production of new tyres. The collaboration between the three companies aims to stimulate the development of pyrolysis technology and the production of pyrolysis oil, and to reposition the new polymers on the market as a valuable circular resource for the production of new tyres.

The partnership uses BB&G's thermomechanical pyrolysis process to recycle end-of-life tyres on a commercial scale. BB&G has built and operated two generations of pilot plants over the past 10 years and recently commissioned its first commercial-scale production line to validate the feasibility and quality of the process. BB&G's TPO plant is located in Fatima, Portugal, and was successfully commissioned on 15 July. In the next few months, the first quantities of BB&G recycled pyrolysis oil will be fed into the Versalis production cycle for the production of circular elastomers with which Bridgestone will make a first batch of tyres in early 2025. BB&G's TPO plant will help optimise this new supply chain and play a crucial role in facilitating global tyre circularity.

"In line with our circularity strategy, we have developed low carbon footprint solutions that fit perfectly into the value chain we have created with our industry partners, Bridgestone EMEA and BB&G Group. Thanks to this agreement we will be able to provide maximum value to our customers and introduce an innovative push in the tyre industry, promoting our commitment to circularity and the development of more sustainable mobility," explained Adriano Alfani, CEO of Versalis.