During this year’s World Rubber Summit, Bridgestone Corp. announced that it is targeting to develop tyres made with 100-percent “sustainable” raw materials by 2050. Chairman Shoshi Arakawa emphasised the need to develop new tyre technologies that will contribute to the realisation of a sustainable society.
Arakawa said that their concept of a 100% sustainable material tyres encompasses major areas such as improved vehicle efficiency and safety (carbon emission reduction), enhanced reuse, reduction and recyclability (through retread, half weight and run flat technologies), and resource diversification and renewability.
Among the initiatives Bridgestone is pursuing to achieve its goal is research into natural rubber alternatives Guayule and Russian dandelion, processes to develop synthetic rubber, carbon black and rubber compounding agents from biomass materials and practical application of new cellulose fibers to produce yarns that would substitute for petroleum-derived polyester and nylon.
Bridgestone has not to date disclosed what it intends to invest in this research.
The sustainability pledge is part of Bridgestone’s long-term environmental goals, which also include contributing to the globally agreed target for CO2 emissions reduction. Bridgestone recently disclosed plans to fund research into the viability of guayule and the Russian dandelion as NR alternatives.
Among other materials, Bridgestone claims it has successfully created butadiene—used in SBR synthetic rubber—produced from bioethanol and has developed carbon black from intermediate materials created from biomass materials, but it has not disclosed details.
In addition to these initiatives, Bridgestone said it is pursuing the development of technologies that will reduce CO2 emissions through improved fuel efficiency and technologies that can be applied throughout the value chain, from raw materials through finished products.
The group has also diversified the regions in which it produces natural rubber and expanded the range of reinforced plant fibres it uses. Collaboration and cooperation with smallholders is important, said Arakawa. He presented how the company has helped contribute to the livelihood and preservation of biodiversity through activities that include donation of high-yielding clones, training on proper tapping and improving post-harvesting methods.
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