The $30 million-plus plant, in Chile, is a joint venture with the Swedish company Enviro.

Tire producer Michelin, which is headquartered in France, has announced that it is beginning construction on its first tire recycling plant in collaboration with Enviro , a Swedish company that has developed a patented technology to recover carbon black, oil, steel and gas from end-of-life tires. The plant represents an investment of more than $30 million.

Based in Chile’s Antofagasta region, the plant will be able to recycle 30,000 tons of earthmover tires a year, which represents nearly 60 percent of these tires scrapped every year nationwide.

Work on the site begins this year, with production at the plant scheduled to get underway in 2023, according to a news release issued by Michelin.

Scrap tires will be collected directly from customer premises, then transported to the plant to be cut up and recycled.

Enviro’s technology, which produces new, high-quality reusable materials, including carbon black, pyrolysis oil, gas and steel, will enable everything in an end-of-life tire to be recovered for reuse, Michelin says.

Current plans call for 90 percent of the recovered materials to be reused in a variety of rubber-based products, such as tires, conveyor belts and anti-vibration products. The remaining 10 percent will be reused directly by the plant to generate its own-use heat and power.

Michelin says this initial recycling plant will enable it to offer a comprehensive recycling solution, from collecting end-of-life tires to reusing the recovered raw materials in the manufacture of new products.

“Thanks to this joint venture with Enviro, we are very proud to announce the construction of the Michelin Group's first recycling plant,” says Sander Vermeulen, vice president, Marketing and Business Development, Strategy and New Business for the High-Tech Materials business line. “This is a major milestone that will enable us to offer customers a new-generation recycling solution while developing new business for the group. We are currently in talks with several Chilean mining customers to sign long-term contracts. By scaling up Enviro’s technology, we are offering them a solution that will support their environmental objectives and enables the development of a circular economy.”

Michelin says the tire recycling plant is fully aligned with its commitment to incorporate more sustainable materials in its tires.

In 2020, Michelin announced an agreement to acquire a 20 percent stake in Sweden-based Enviro, which was formed in 2001. The $3.25 million investment by Michelin marked its second major foray into recycling. In 2018, Michelin acquired United States-based Lehigh Technologies and has subsequently invested to bring that firm’s scrap tires-to-micronized rubber powder process to Europe.

Japanese firm says its film, which can be applied to batteries or waste containers, extinguishes fire by emitting aerosol particles.

Tokyo-based Toppan Printing says it has developed a fire extinguishing film that responds to heat by emitting aerosol particles. The new film is available starting in February and is targeted toward manufacturers of batteries and electrical appliances.

Toppan says it has made the product in response to the increased risk of fire-related accidents, “not only during use but also after disposal.” The waste and recycling industry has identified lithium-ion batteries as the source of numerous fires at material recovery facilities (MRFs), auto shredder yards and other recycling and waste workplaces.

The Japanese company says it has combined its “advanced coating technologies and transparent vapor-deposited GL Barrier film with a highly effective fire extinguishing agent from Yamato Protec Corp. to produce an adhesive film with outstanding long-term durability and workability.

“This film enables greater fire safety without any negative impact on people or the environment,” says Yoshimitsu Anamizu, managing executive officer of Toppan’s Living & Industry Division. “We intend to develop more products based on this technology to contribute to accident and disaster prevention and a safer, more sustainable society for everyone.”

Toppan says its fire extinguishing film is highly effective in extinguishing fires at an early stage or preventing their spread in the event of equipment problems or short circuits. Potential applications include attachment to the inside of lithium-ion battery cases, switchboards and power distribution equipment, outlet covers or waste containers at public facilities. The film uses no substances that pose a risk to humans or the environment and produces no harmful gases when it is activated, according to Toppan.

The film works by filling an enclosed space with fire extinguishing aerosol particles in response to the heat generated by a fire. The aerosol particles extinguish the fire through negative catalysis. “This makes it an effective solution for putting out fires promptly and containing their spread to prevent further damage,” the firm states.

Company says its AegisPaper thin films can replace plastic and are highly recyclable.

London-based packaging and paper producer Mondi says it has developed a new paper recyclable packaging barrier product range that can run on existing filling lines in form-fill-and-seal (FFS) applications.

Mondi says its AegisPaper range reduces the amount of plastic used by “replacing it with a renewable resource that has specific mechanical properties, such as puncture resistance, flexibility, printability and barrier protection.”

Coatings applied to the papers create custom barriers against grease and water vapor and ensure sealability, according to Mondi. AegisPapers are suitable for numerous packaging applications within the dry food, frozen food, pet food, confectionery, secondary packaging, toy, e-commerce and flower packaging industries, adds the firm.

“Sustainability is at the center of our strategy, and I am pleased that this continues to be a focus for our customers,” says Peter Orisich, CEO of the Flexible Packaging and Engineered Materials business unit of Mondi. “This launch is a breakthrough for the next generation of sustainable packaging,” he adds.

The company says the new barrier paper can replace plastic packaging that traditionally has been used for FMCG and consumer products. In a first step, Mondi says a collaboration with a European dry pasta producer will reduce that firm’s plastic used by 90 percent and prevent them from using some 7.5 metric tons of plastic film each year for one of its product ranges. The new pasta packaging is scheduled to enter the market in the first half of 2021.

Mondi says AegisPaper is “certified as fully recyclable and has the best mechanical properties for food applications.” The material, produced in Europe, “provides the thinnest functional barrier paper to reduce the amount of packaging material needed, adds the firm.

FNYSWA cancels 2021 NY Annual Solid Waste & Recycling Conference, which had been scheduled for mid-May.

The Federation of New York Solid Waste Associations (FNYSWA) says it has “regretfully decided to cancel” its 2021 annual conference, which had been scheduled for May 16-19 at The Sagamore resort in Bolton Landing, New York.

FNYSWA says it did so after receiving input from attendees and having discussions with The Sagamore regarding “COVID-19 concerns, logistics and our priority for the safety of participants.”

The federation says planning has begun for its 2022 conference, scheduled for May 22-25 at The Sagamore. Additional details on that event can be found on this website. The website also currently or soon will contain information for participants, exhibitors, sponsors and advertisers regarding transferring 2021 registrations to the 2022 event.

The Federation of New York Solid Waste Associations describes itself as “the umbrella organization for the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse & Recycling, the New York State Association for Solid Waste Management, and the Solid Waste Association of North America - New York State Chapter.” FNYSWA says its goals are “to develop recommendations for appropriate public policy for consideration by state and federal representatives, as well as to provide education, training, and networking opportunities through its annual solid waste and recycling conference.”

Florida-based company will provide waste and recycling services at basketball team’s Smoothie King Center arena.

Longwood, Florida-based Waste Pro USA has announced a new sponsorship with the New Orleans Pelicans basketball team that will result in it providing waste and recycling services at the Smoothie King Center arena throughout the 2020-2021 National Basketball Association (NBA) season.

It is Waste Pro’s second professional sports sponsorship in New Orleans, with the company also being what it calls the official waste and recycling services partner of the New Orleans Saints National Football League (NFL) team.

Waste Pro says it also serves as a sponsor of and waste services provider to the Memphis Grizzlies and Charlotte Hornets NBA teams.

“We realize this is an unusual time in sports, but we believe in our hometown teams and our community,” says Waste Pro Divisional Vice President Jesse Murphy. “Waste Pro continues to grow in New Orleans, and we’re proud to partner with these two exceptional organizations.”

Waste Pro describes itself as one of the country’s fastest growing privately owned waste collection, recycling, processing and disposal companies, operating in 10 Southeastern states. The firm says it has annual revenue exceeding $760 million and serves more than 2 million residential and some 40,000 commercial customers from more than 75 operating locations