The European Commission has taken note of the recommendations of the Alliance for the Future of Tires (AZuR) on promoting a sustainable circular economy in the tire sector. A letter of reply from the office of Director-General Eric Mamer confirms that several of the proposed measures are being examined in connection with the planned Circular Economy Act.
AZuR had advocated, among other things, for increased support for tire repair and retreading, binding quality and sustainability standards, and the targeted consideration of retreaded tires in public procurement. Furthermore, the network calls for a European market for high-quality secondary raw materials from recycling processes, clear legal frameworks for innovative recycling technologies, and greater recognition of recycled materials as equivalent raw materials.
The planned Circular Economy Act aims to strengthen the internal market for secondary raw materials and increase demand for high-quality recycled materials in Europe. Recycled products made from used tires can also benefit from this.
Of particular importance to the tire industry is the new EU regulation on end-of-life vehicle recycling. It stipulates that tires must be removed from end-of-life vehicles before being shredded and subsequently treated according to the waste hierarchy. Priority is given to waste prevention and reuse, including retreading.
For used tires, this means: First, it must be determined whether they can be reused or retreaded. If this is not possible, high-quality recycling methods should be used to keep valuable raw materials in the economic cycle.
This is an important signal for the ZARE initiative. The development underscores the importance of professional, certified, and resource-efficient disposal of used tires as part of a functioning circular economy.
Image source: AdobeStock; Gianluca
