ERJ Top-10 most viewed stories: Sustainability

This year saw significant investments and developments linked to efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the global tire & rubber industry.

Below is European Rubber Journal’s list of the 10 most viewed sustainability-related stories of the year:

1. ERJ Elastomers for Sustainability - Top 10

Most significant advances in materials-science and manufacturing technologies for tire and rubber-goods industries (Read more)

2. Bridgestone, partners intensify work to commercialise plant-based tires

Bridgestone Corp., materials specialist Eneos Materials and EPC engineering company JGC Holdings are accelerating their collaboration toward the commercialisation of tires made from plant-based synthetic rubber. (Read more)

3. Carbios, Indorama team up to supply rPET-based reinforcement for Michelin tires

French biotech company Carbios has signed a multi-year agreement to supply enzymatically recycled PET (rPET) monomers to Indorama Ventures to produce polyester for use in Michelin’s tire reinforcement textiles. (Read more)

4. Michelin to build “world-first” industrial-scale plant for bio-ingredient 5-HMF 

Michelin is investing €60 million to build the "world’s first” industrial-scale production unit for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) – a bio-sourced molecule regarded as a key building block of green chemistry. (Read more)

5. Hankook, Solvay in link-up to develop 'circular silica' 

Hankook Tire & Technology Co. and Solvay have signed an agreement to develop 'circular silica' derived from waste for use in the production of tires. (Read more)

6. Epsilon launches ELT-based carbon black for tire, non-tire applications

Epsilon Carbon has launched a new sustainable carbon black product line derived from end-of-life tires (ELTs). (Read more)

7. Continental steps up sustainability efforts with cooking oil-based tires 

Continental AG is "prioritising the use of renewable and recycled materials in its tire production," with the share of such materials averaging 26% in 2024. (Read more)

8. Orion scaling up tire pyrolysis oil capabilities 

The European Commission recently listed Orion SA on its ‘innovation radar’ for its development of a carbon black based on pyrolysis oil derived from end-of-life tires (ELTs). (Read more)

9. Michelin advances bio-based butadiene project for synthetic rubber production 

Michelin and its partners, IFP Energies Nouvelles (IFPEN), and Axens have announced “significant advancements” in their joint bio-butadiene project BioButterfly. (Read more)

10. Bridgestone claims ‘room temperature’ chemical recycling of tires 

Bridgestone and Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) have developed a two-stage chemical-recycling process that can break down vulcanised tire rubber at room temperature. (Read more)

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