Scandinavian tyre recycler Enviro Systems has decided on the final location for establishing the previously announced 30,000 tonne-recycling plant in Uddevalla, Sweden. The company expects the new facility in Uddevalla to be completed during the fourth quarter of 2023.
The long-term plan for the facility in Uddevalla is to process up to 60,000 tonnes/year, which would suffice for the recycling of close to half of Sweden’s total annual volume of end-of-life tyres. As Enviro previously announced, a final decision on establishment of the new plant is also dependent on several other factors, such as securing access to end-of-life tyres and agreements covering deliveries of recovered materials.
Since 2013, Enviro has operated a wholly owned recycling plant at Åsensbruk, in Mellerud Municipality, with a permit for recycling a maximum of 15,000 tonnes/year of tyres.
Enviro recovers materials such as carbon black, oil and steel from tyres through its own patented recovery process. Carbon black is an essential raw material in rubber manufacturing, and the carbon black recovered at the facility in Åsensbruk recently became the first in the world to be certified under the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification system (ISCC). The recovered oil from the facility is also ISCC certified, making it extremely attractive for the oil industry and the chemicals industry, since it can therefore be used to increase the sustainability of such products as vehicle and jet fuel, base oils and plastics.
Enviro has previously communicated its aim to ultimately establish about four new recycling plants per year over the next ten years. The company has stated that West Sweden and Central Europe are its initial priority markets.