India’s automotive market is fast growing and is among the world’s largest producers and consumers of tires. The increase in vehicles is creating a higher quantity of End of Life Tires (ELTs) every year. The consequences of improperly discarded tires are: fires, pollution, and standing water that may act as a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
At present, companies across the globe especially the manufacturing and logistics sectors are looking for environmentally sustainable methods to manage their footprint which allows them to enhance their profits by improving their resource reclamation through recycling. An answer must be found for ELT waste processing. This blog seeks to provide answers to the problems of effective tire waste disposal in India.
The Scale of Rubber Waste in India’s Tyre Sector
The rapid expansion of the transportation and automotive sectors in India contributes to the country’s economy, however for India’s growing ELT (End of Life Tyres) issue, it serves as a hindrance. As with almost all modern solutions, if not properly contained they tend to wreak havoc. This means illegal dumping, unrestricted storage, or open incineration result in the release of poisonous gases and downstream the dumping of harmful chemicals into soil. Not to mention, they pose fire hazards. Adding to the problems, uncontrolled disposal of ELTs (End of Life Tyres) serves as one of the leading drivers for the respiratory health crisis, not to mention the immeasurable amounts of ecosystem degradation.
This multi-tiered issue clearly serves as a catalyst for change, employing industries to take on the responsibility to seek firmer rubber recycling methods that promote efficient waste management. As is always the case, major leaps begin with small steps, establishing strong partnerships in the private sector for waste rubber management can help drive the success of these systems, turning ineffective waste tyres into something far more useful resulting in a gross positive impact on the environment.
Rubber Waste Recycling: Key Processes
Shredding & Grinding
Old tyres are first cut into shorter strips or chipped into granules through industrial shredders designed for high torque and volume reduction of rubber, making it feasible for multiple downstream uses, including rubber mulch, granules for athletic surfaces, or more advanced recycling applications.
Steel and Textile Fibre Recovery
As part of the shredding process, magnets remove the embedded steel wire and air systems separate polyester and textile fibres. These recovered materials have a resale market and have useful applications in construction, manufacturing, and even recycled steel production—helping to support a circular economy.
Innovative Technologies for Rubber Waste Management
| Method | Description | By-products/Uses |
| Pyrolysis | A thermochemical process that breaks down rubber at high temperatures without oxygen. | Produces pyrolysis oil, combustible gas, and carbon black, which can be reused in fuel, energy, and manufacturing. |
| Mechanical Recycling | Converts waste tires into crumb rubber with minimal energy and emissions. | Used for making road materials, playground surfaces, and moulded rubber products. |
| Cryogenic Grinding | Rubber is frozen at −120°C to make it brittle and easy to crush into fine powder. | Ensures clean separation of steel and textiles, delivering high-purity recycled rubber for various industrial uses. |
| Devulcanization | Reverses the vulcanization (curing) process by breaking sulphur bonds in rubber. | Allows reuse of rubber in rubber-modified asphalt and new tire formulations, promoting material circularity. |
Circular Economy in the Tyre Sector
Retreading & Regrooving
This process extends the life of tyres by replacing worn-out treads, making it a cost-effective and sustainable option for commercial fleets.
- Reduces the demand for new tyres
- Saves raw materials and energy
- Ideal for logistics and transport companies
Reuse & Secondary Applications
End-of-life tyres are repurposed into a variety of functional products such as shoe soles, playground surfaces, door mats, furniture, and rural handicrafts.
- Supports livelihood opportunities in the informal sector
- Minimizes waste going to landfills
- Encourages creative and practical reuse of rubber materials
Applications of Recycled Rubber in Industry
| Recycled Product | Industrial Use Case |
| Crumb Rubber | Road surfacing (CRMB), athletic tracks, playground flooring |
| Granulated Rubber | Gym mats, livestock mats, speed bumps |
| Pyrolysis Oil | Fuel for boilers, furnaces, power generation |
| Devulcanized Rubber | Modified asphalt, new rubber products |
| Reclaimed Steel | Construction, manufacturing of new tyres |
Building Partnerships with Authorized Recyclers
With the aim of achieving compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies and creating a functional and self-sustaining recycling system, the manufacturers ought to:
- Collaborate with Certified Recyclers: Only engage with the prescribed governmental centres for tyre shredding, pyrolysis, and rubber recovery – All Steps In One – to ensure they meet environmental standards.
- Establish Long-Term Contracts: Regularly scheduled pickup of waste rubber from the plant and processing it with certain vendors under contract will eliminate operational hassles and prevent undue accumulation of stockpiles.
- Maintain Transparent Documentation: Correct records in supplant audit waste disposal and recycling and enable CPCB reporting.
Legal compliance has never been this easy. These consortia increase competitiveness for other producers of the value created and aiding the resilient circular supply chain.
Sustainable Practices in Rubber Sourcing and Production
To minimize the ecological impacts of tire production, increasingly sustainable practices in manufacturing are being adopted along the entire value chain:
- Sustainable Sourcing: Acquire natural rubber from certified plantations that maintain ethical and eco-friendly production practices, thereby enhancing biodiversity and fair trade within rubber-producing areas.
- Biodegradable Additives: Incorporating biotechnology-derived and biodegradable-environmental additives and plasticizers to improve biodegradability of rubber at the end of its life cycle.
- Eco-Friendly Manufacturing: Energy-efficient machinery upgrade, optimized movement of materials to minimize waste generation, and closed-loop systems to reuse materials and minimize emission levels.
Not only do these strategies address the greenhouse gas emissions of the tire production process, but they also synchronize the tire manufacturers with increasingly common global ESG standards and responsible business practice.
Conclusion
Sustainable rubber waste management isn’t just an option anymore; it has become a strategic necessity and a potent opportunity. Circular practices can lessen environmental loads, ensure compliance, and unlock further value from end-of-life tyres for tyre manufacturers, recyclers, and industrial users. The Indian tyre sector can spearhead a green revolution based on innovation and accountability by embracing advanced recycling technologies, certified partnership schemes, and EPR integration.
Scrapeco is aiding this transition through end-to-end tyre and other scrap recycling solutions for EPR compliance, connecting businesses with authorized recyclers, and facilitating data-led waste traceability. The platform specializes in trade transactions in bulk and has an inbuilt bidding mechanism, ensuring value maximization by the business with utmost transparency and legal compliance to disposal. Let us work together to build a cleaner, circular future for India’s tyre industry.
FAQs
Q1. What is EPR for tyre manufacturers in India?
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requires tyre manufacturers to manage the end-of-life disposal of their products by collaborating with authorized recyclers and purchasing EPR certificates.
Q2. What is pyrolysis and how is it used in tyre recycling?
Pyrolysis is a process where tyres are heated in the absence of oxygen to produce pyrolysis oil, gas, and carbon black, which can be reused in industrial applications.
Q3. Can recycled rubber be used in road construction?
Yes. Crumb rubber is widely used in creating Crumb Rubber Modified Bitumen (CRMB), enhancing road durability and sustainability.
Q4. What are the environmental benefits of recycling tyres?
Tyre recycling reduces landfill use, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, prevents fires and pollution, and promotes resource recovery.
Q5. How can businesses comply with tyre waste EPR?
By partnering with authorized recyclers, maintaining recycling records, and purchasing valid EPR certificates for every ton of tyre waste processed.
