Pirelli, along with Pyrum, Synthos, and BASF, is advancing a tyre-to-tyre circular economy initiative in Europe. The project uses end-of-life and scrap tyres from Germany, including collections from Driver retail outlets and motorsport activities, as well as scrap from Pirelli's Breuberg plant. Pyrum processes these tyres via pyrolysis to produce recovered carbon black (rCB) and tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO). The rCB is upgraded and used directly in Pirelli's European production, partially replacing virgin carbon black. The TPO is supplied to BASF, where it is co-fed with fossil-based feedstock to produce butadiene and styrene, which are then used by Synthos to make ISCC PLUS-certified synthetic rubber for high-performance tyres. This closed-loop system is certified under ISCC PLUS, ensuring traceability and recycled content in new Pirelli tyres. The project demonstrates how industrial ecosystems can turn waste tyres into valuable resources, supporting circularity in the automotive and chemical sectors.
