Speakers at the Bureau of International Recycling Tyres & Rubber Committee discuss technology advances and recycled-content demand.

Industry experts at the most recent Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) Tyres & Rubber Committee meeting in late May suggested tires and rubber have rapidly developed into "one of the most dynamic segments of the recycling industry after having been previously viewed as the "poor relation," and Max Craipeau of Hong Kong-based Greencore Resources Ltd. said the sector is gaining "unprecedented traction" as the result of what he calls numerous emerging possibilities for breathing new life into tires and other rubber products.

According to Craipeau, current estimated demand in Europe for recycled rubber of 200,000 metric tons annually is expected to increase fivefold over the next 25 years. Sonia Megert, chief operating officer of Swiss sustainable technology developer Tyre Recycling Solutions SA, added projections of a compound annual growth rate of more than 10 percent for the global recycled rubber market from 2020 to 2028. 

Megert, participating in the meeting as a guest speaker, said recycled content in tires still is "very limited," but noted that new technologies have the potential to significantly increase proportions and added that 10 percent to 15 percent recycled content is achievable in tire treads, compared with the current 5-percent maximum.

According to Megert, Tyre Recycling Solutions SA had formed a "successful partnership" with Germany synthetic rubber manufacturer Synthos based around its water pulse jet system for pulverizing tire tread into a fine powder of what she called "very stable composition" for use in tires and other vehicle applications. Synthos Global Key Account Manager Christian Lemke said the major attractions of this solution are product consistency, level of certification and global scalability, with the possibility of establishing capacity where the demand exists.

Many investors and high-profile investors are now "stepping into the game" of tire and rubber recycling because of perceived technological readiness of high-volume solutions for providing sustainably produced raw materials, according to Robert Weibold, managing director of German tire recycling and pyrolysis consultant firm Robert Weibold GmbH. He also said the economics of recycling processes had been altered because customers now are prepared to pay significantly more for sustainably produced tire.

Martin von Wolfersdorff, a rubber recycling and recovered carbon black (RCB) expert with Germany-based Wolfersdorff Consulting, who co-moderated the session with Craipeau, described this process as a "change from a push to a pull," explaining that companies previously had struggled to push recycled products into a competitive marketplace, whereas now demand favors such products because end customers want to boost sustainability credentials.

When asked how manufacturers can evaluate the options for incorporating recycled content, such as RCB, devulcanized rubber and micronized rubber powder, von Wolfersdorff said tire producers are looking for what he calls the "smart combination" of all the materials based on considerations of quality consistency, supply-chain length, availability and price.

The BIR convention was held May 22-25 in Barcelona.

Doosan Machine Tools will become DN Solutions following its merger earlier this year with DN Automotive.

Doosan Machine Tools has announced it will change its name to DN Solutions and be reborn as a total manufacturing solutions provider, effective June 2.

DN Solutions, the new name of Doosan Machine Tools, signifies a new start after its merger with DN Automotive, which became its parent company in January.

“This name change was intended to signify our commitment to becoming a global manufacturer,” says Kim Jae-Seop, CEO of DN Solutions. “DN Solutions and DN Automotive create a synergistic effect by working together to find new growth engines and maximize manufacturing capabilities. We are committed to offering integrated manufacturing solutions to a wide range of industries based on competitive products."

The “D” in DN alludes to the 45 years of history and trust built among Daewoo and Doosan, the predecessors of DN Solutions, along with DTR Automotive, the predecessor of DN Automotive. The “N” represents “now and new,” the will of DN Solutions to open new paths by constantly taking on challenges now rather than being complacent following past achievements.

DN Solutions says is committed to being reborn as a global manufacturer under the new name by way of distinctive competitive advantages over current growth engines. The company plans to grow through aggressive investment in manufacturing capabilities and sustainable management for social responsibility. It will work closely with DN Automotive, its controlling shareholder, to identify new growth engines to become a solutions provider for the global manufacturing industry.

DN Automotive, the controlling shareholder of DN Solutions, is an automotive parts manufacturer founded in 1971 that produces tires, batteries and VMS (Vibration Management Systems). It is a top three manufacturer in the global VMS market and supplies approximately 30 global leading OEMs, including General Motors and BMW.

In addition, DN Solutions has participated in SIMTOS 2022, which took place at the Korean International Exhibition Center in Goyang-si, South Korea from May 23-27. During the expo, DN Solutions showcased various products featuring the latest technologies, including a 5-axis, large machining center, as well as a wide range of products and solutions for the information technology and semiconductor industries. A ceremony was held to announce the company's new name and share its meaning and the vision for the future.

Colorado's Front Range Waste Diversion is seeking proposals for the second phase of its Technical Assistance Service Provider program.

The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment's Front Range Waste Diversion (FRWD) program is piloting a new model to help advance communities up what it calls the "zero-waste ladder," and its board is seeking proposals from qualified applicants for Phase 2 of its Technical Assistance Service Provider (TASP) program.

According to FRWD, the consultant will provide technical assistance to local governments that have an interest in establishing a new recycling program or expanding an existing recycling program for postconsumer and commercial solid waste in Colorado.

Proposals are due by 3 p.m. Friday, July 1, with detailed instructions provided here.

The FRWD program provides grants and technical assistance to Colorado's Front Range communities to increase recycling, composting and waste reduction. The FRWD enterprise consists of the FRWD board of directors and program administrative staff at CDPHE. Its current three-year strategic plan identifies goals in three focus areas: data collection and analysis, municipal solid waste, including organics and recycling, and nonmunicipal solid waste, focusing on construction and demolition debris.

The program and enterprise fund was approved by the Colorado state legislature in 2019 and collects funds from an increase in user fees at Front Range landfill to provide grants and technical assistance to increase recycling, composting and waste reduction.

The Sennebogen 822 G features what the company calls intelligent, resource-saving technology and comfort.

Sennebogen, Straubing, Germany, has updated its 22 t 818 E recycling all-rounder to the latest G series machine generation. The company says the update makes it possible to handle and sort material in a particularly environmentally friendly and economical way. 

The compact 822 G material handler has a reach of up to 10 meters and a comfort cab that can be elevated as standard. The machine can be individually configured and features numerous equipment variants.   

The company says the 822 G is highly responsive with hydraulics that can be adjusted precisely by the operator and fast, overlapping movements with a hydraulic system that is optimized for demanding tasks in recycling and scrap yards. Additionally, the machine uses green efficiency technology to save resources and work efficiently. Pumps and large-scale hydraulic valves and lines ensure optimum efficiency.   

The 822 G now has a 110 kilowatt Stage V diesel engine with 3.8 l displacement, which is ideally suited in terms of power and consumption to the operating conditions in recycling and scrap. In addition to the low operating costs, the G series is also synonymous with Sennebogen’s 6th-generation material handling technology.  

The company says a particular focus has been placed on maintenance and service with the G series. The machine features an outward-folding lubrication system and an improved refueling to make servicing the machine convenient and safe. The 822 G also features an e-box, protecting the central electrical distributors and electronic modules from environmental influences in extreme conditions and ensuring maximum machine availability. The result means the extended time between maintenance.   

The premiere of the 822 G will take place from May 30 to June 3 at IFAT 2022 in Munich. Discover the new G series at Sennebogen’s trade fair stand in hall C5, stand 241/340. 

The tool will show clients data to help with ESG and sustainability reporting.

Apto Solutions, a company in the IT asset disposition (ITAD) industry, has launched its new environmental impact reporting tool that is designed to assist with environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting. The tool, an expansion of the company’s proprietary Pulse platform, allows clients to see the amount of greenhouse gas emissions saved from reuse and recycling activities with Apto.

Apto says it wanted the tool to build on the company’s reputation for tracked and verified circular processes.

“We wanted to take our existing reporting to the next level and be able to show our customers in real-time through Apto Pulse, the positive emissions offsets and circularity data,” says Apto CEO Jeffrey Jones. “Rather than publishing this information annually, we believe that with new ESG reporting requirements, our customers can use this data for their ESG and sustainability reports on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.”

Powered by the e-Stewards global impact calculator, the tool provides a detailed breakdown by weight of each material type recovered as well as toxic materials diverted from landfill. It then displays continually updated data on emissions savings, which Apto says is crucial since ESG reporting guidance is still forthcoming from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, with type and frequency of the ESG reports yet to be determined. Additionally, Apto says the tool can provide customers with their data based on their own specified date range.

“This is a highly dynamic time for ESG compliance, with countless variables that could emerge as the standards become more concrete, from reduced GHG emissions to toxic materials diverted. This tool empowers our customers by putting the data right at their fingertips so that they can use it however they’d like in ESG and sustainability reports to show the positive impact of their ITAD programs against their other emissions,” says Jones. “And it’s all tied directly into Apto Pulse, so the calculations happen dynamically and are always readily available. No additional work needs to be performed.”