End-of-life options of tyres. A review

The increasing motorisation rate worldwide is responsible for the demand of huge quantities of tyres that, after their useful service life, become waste and should be properly managed. Due to the relative low cost of tyres and the complexity related to recycling, worldwide around 41% of the total amount of end-of-life tyres is discarded into landfills or stockpiles without any recovery of the material or of the energy. Moreover, the chemical composition of tyres makes them extremely resistant to degradation phenomena with a potential long-term permanence in the environment. The high energy amount required for the production of tyres and the related environmental impact should encourage the recycling of tyres and also promote the adoption of maintenance activities, such as retreading, that allow a considerable increase in the useful service life of tyres with consequent reduction in GHG emissions. In this article the relevant literature describing the current status of end-of-life options worldwide, the European legislation regarding tyre waste, their possible uses and the related environmental aspects are presented.