Bonn, May 17.05.2023, XNUMX With Seal tires, punctures should be a thing of the past. But many experts are critical of the Seal technology. The ZARE initiative points out that Seal tires exacerbate the disposal problem and are associated with higher disposal fees.
Seal tires have a viscous protective layer on the inside of the tread that encloses and seals invading foreign bodies such as nails or screws. According to the tire manufacturer, the technology should protect against breaking down due to a flat tire. But the puncture protection is controversial: There are critical voices both in terms of safety and environmental protection. Experts speak of a "deceptive security" that Seal tires convey, because damage is often overlooked and can become a safety risk. [1] Self-sealing tires are also heavier than conventional tires, which has a negative effect on fuel consumption and driving comfort. In addition, the repair of sealed and silent tires involves more work for workshops.
Seal tires are not recyclable
Above all, the ZARE initiative draws attention to the disposal problem: the protective layer on the inside of the seal tires can no longer be removed after use. For this reason, Seal tires cannot be recycled. Incineration is the only disposal method. According to the principles of the recycling economy, however, the aim should be to use and process valuable raw materials such as tires in a resource-saving manner for as long as possible. The problem of disposal is further exacerbated because cement works have less and less need for tires for thermal recycling.
Pass higher costs on to customers
Seal tires mean significantly more work for waste disposal companies: They have to be separated from conventional used tires and sorted. And they harbor risks: Tires with seal technology are often not recognizable as such. If they get into a shredding plant, there can be massive disruptions and even fires. At the same time, other used tires are contaminated and can then no longer be used for material recycling. "For all these reasons, tire dealers and garages usually have to pay higher disposal fees when disposing of Seal tires - costs that they should pass on to customers," says Christina Guth, ZARE network coordinator.
In order to counteract the disposal problem, the ZARE initiative calls for clear and clearly visible labeling of Seal tires by the manufacturer and calls on the specialist trade to always dispose of used tires via certified waste disposal companies that sort the tires professionally and send them to the most sustainable recycling methods - these include under including tire retreading and material recycling.
Companies can use the ZARE website to send disposal requests for used tires to certified disposal companies: www.zertisierte-alreifenentsorger.de
[1] https://www.krafthand.de/artikel/truegerische-sicherheit-65007/
About the ZARE initiative
The ZARE initiative is an amalgamation of 19 companies organized in the Federal Association of Tire Trade and Vulcanizing Trades (BRV), 17 of which are certified waste management companies. The ZARE partners have set themselves the task of raising awareness of professional tire recycling in Germany. ZARE informs drivers about the environmentally friendly disposal of used tires. At 26 locations, the ZARE partners cover almost all of Germany and the Netherlands.
The partners of the initiative are:
Allgemeine Gummiwertstoff und Reifenhandels GmbH, Bender Reifen Recycling GmbH, CVS Reifen GmbH, Danninger OHG Spezialtransporte, G & K Recycling Utsch GmbH, Hartung Speditions-, Handels- und Transport GmbH, HRV GmbH, KARGRO BV, KRAIBURG Austria GmbH & Co. KG, KURZ Karkassenhandel GmbH, Mondo Reifenmarkt GmbH, MRH Mülsener Rohstoff- und Handelsgesellschaft mbH, NZ-Entsorgung eK, PVP Triptis GmbH, Reifen DRAWS GmbH, Reifen Külshammer, Reifengruppe Ruhr, REIFEN OKA - Reifenhandel, Reifen Recyclingbetrieb Brenz GmbH, TireTech GmbH
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Press release as Word document
Picture: high_disposal_effort_for_seal-and-silent-tyres
Caption: Environmentally friendly tire recycling in the sense of circular economy is not possible with Seal tires.
Source: KURZ Karkassenhandel GmbH
