On November 18, 2025, the in-person meeting of the North Rhine-Westphalia Tire Recycling Working Group took place at the Münster Waste Management Authority (awm). Under the title "Future Circular Economy: Utilizing Municipal Opportunities through Circular Value Creation," representatives from municipalities, academia, industry, and associations came together to discuss concrete solutions for sustainable and climate-friendly recycling of used tires.
Following a reception with a networking lunch, the event was opened with welcoming remarks from Arno Minas (City of Münster), Dr. Daniel Baumkötter (awm), and Christina Guth (AZuR). In a subsequent keynote address, Cornelius Laaser from the Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of North Rhine-Westphalia emphasized the importance of the circular economy as a key municipal task.
In the substantive section, Christina Guth presented the goals and mission of the Alliance for the Future of Tires. She emphasized that municipal waste tire disposal is a central foundation for a functioning circular economy and an important lever for climate protection and resource conservation.
Khaled Daouk from the Ruhr Tire Group, a certified used tire disposal company and ZARE partner, provided valuable practical insights. In a best-practice presentation, he outlined what municipalities should consider for the professional and certified disposal of used tires. The presentation focused particularly on the responsibility of the waste producer, the selection of a certified waste management company, and the verification of permits and recycling pathways. The goal is to protect the environment and ensure high-quality recycling of used tires through transparent and controlled processes.
Further presentations addressed the use of retreaded tires in municipal vehicle fleets and public transport, road construction with recycled rubber asphalt, and innovative applications of rubber granulate in sustainable urban development. The program was rounded off with an overview of current funding opportunities for circular economy projects in North Rhine-Westphalia.
In the concluding discussion and networking phase, Christina Guth drew a positive conclusion and invited participants to continue contributing to the working group. It became clear that the circular economy for tires offers municipalities measurable ecological and economic advantages – provided it is implemented with competent and certified partners.
ZARE thanks Khaled Daouk for his dedicated participation and valuable contributions to the discussion round in Münster. His presentation highlighted the crucial role that certified, professional disposal of used tires plays in the success of the tire recycling economy. Companies based in North Rhine-Westphalia that would also like to actively participate are warmly invited to contact us. https://zertifizierte-altreifenentsorger.de/kontakt/
