'Turn old tyres into fuel,' Net Zero campaigners urge

End-of-life tyres should be reprocessed into renewable transport fuels if the government wants to achieve its Net Zero emissions target, according to campaigners.

The Renewable Transport Fuel Association (RTFA) and the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) are collaborating to promote a greater uptake of the chemical process known as pyrolysis, which converts old tyres into fuels which reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The group said the demand for processing tyres will increase in the UK as the export trade falls amid international pressure.

Currently, waste tyres are either recycled via re-treading or used as rubber-derived materials in sports surfaces, or burned in cement kilns.

The RTFA said these outlets are insufficient to absorb the growing mountain of old tyres and so pyrolysis offers a sustainable solution.

Along with the TRA, it is now funding a consultancy to contribute to the Environment Agency’s review of recovery options for end-of-life tyres.

Peter Taylor, TRA secretary general, said: “The commercialisation of pyrolysis of waste tyres has the potential to open up a whole new range of possibilities, but we need our regulators to be onside.

“Investment in pyrolysis technologies here in Britain will significantly increase our own domestic recycling resilience and deliver much higher value outcomes.”