Pirelli, Pyrum, Synthos and BASF launch tyre-to-tyre circular supply chain
- End-of-life and scrap tyres are collected across Germany from Driver retail outlets, motorsport activities and Pirelli’s Breuberg plant to feed the process.
- Pyrum pyrolyses the tyres into recovered carbon black (rCB) and tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO); rCB is upgraded and partially replaces virgin carbon black in Pirelli’s European production.
- TPO is supplied to BASF and co-fed with fossil-based feedstock to produce chemicals such as butadiene and styrene, with recycled content attributed via a mass balance to ISCC PLUS‑certified Ccycled® products.
- Synthos converts the Ccycled® materials into ISCC PLUS‑certified synthetic rubber for high-performance tyre applications, which Pirelli reintroduces into its production to close the loop.
Project overview
Pirelli, Pyrum, Synthos and BASF are jointly advancing a tyre-to-tyre circular economy initiative in Europe to develop an industrial ecosystem that increases the use of recycled materials derived from end-of-life and scrap tyres.
Collection and feedstock
End-of-life tyres are collected across Germany from Driver retail outlets and motorsport activities, alongside scrap tyres from Pirelli’s Breuberg plant, and fed into a processing chain designed to maximize their inner value.
Processing and material flows
Pyrum uses pyrolysis to convert tyres into recovered carbon black (rCB) and tyre pyrolysis oil (TPO); the rCB is upgraded in quality and directly reintroduced into Pirelli’s European production, partially replacing virgin carbon black.
Chemical conversion and certification
TPO is supplied to BASF and co-fed with fossil-based feedstock to produce chemical products such as butadiene and styrene, with a mass balance approach attributing recycled content to ISCC PLUS‑certified Ccycled® products.
Synthetic rubber and loop closure
Synthos uses the Ccycled® materials to produce ISCC PLUS‑certified synthetic rubber for high-performance tyre applications, which Pirelli reintroduces into its production processes to close the material loop.
Strategic intent
The partners frame the initiative as an industrial ecosystem requiring complementary expertise to recover, transform and reuse materials, aiming to maximize inner value and demonstrating a comprehensive application of tyre-to-tyre circularity.
Source: BASF
