UK event to discuss sustainable elastomers for tires

London – Rubber in Engineering Group (RIEG) of the UK-based Institute of Materials, Minerals and Minings (IoM3) will be hosting an online session on sustainability of elastomers, particularly in tires, in March.

The session will be part of the Global Research and Innovation in Plastics Sustainability (GRIPS) event, which will be held online 15-17 March, RIEG announced in a statement. 

The GRIPS will bring together companies and individuals to highlight ‘the best of activities’ aimed at preventing the landfilling or incinerating of plastics.

The RIEG session will look into tire particles as a major sources of ‘microplastic’ in the oceans and the increased focus on making road transport more sustainable.

Dr Joe Hallet, technical service manager, Birla Carbon will chair the event which will be participated by David Greenfield, managing director, social, environmental & economic solutions (SOENECS) Ltd; Professor James Busfield, chair | professor of materials & national teaching fellow, director of industrial engagement & head of the soft matter group, RIEG | Queen Mary University of London as well as Lewis Tunnicliffe, product design and development manager, Birla Carbon.

In the meantime IoM3 announced a planned award programme by its Polymer Group open to those "making disruptive innovations that will have a positive impact on polymer & elastomer sustainability."

Applicants should prepare a single PowerPoint slide which summarises their innovation and its impacts on future use and disposal of plastics along with a 250 word statement about the work.

All posters will be reviewed by an expert panel curated by IoM3 and available to delegates during the conference. 

The best six will be invited to present during the conference with the final award being presented on the closing day. 

All submitted posters will be added to the conference documents and shown throughout the conference. 

There will be a prize of £100 plus complimentary IOM3 affiliate membership for one year for the winner.

Deadline for submissions is 4 Feb.