The recent heightened interest in pyrolysis oil – extracted from end-of-life tyres (ELT) – and indications relating to prices and demand by consumers has led Scandinavian Enviro Systems (Enviro) to believe a recycling plant using Enviro’s proprietary technology could strongly increase its revenues in the near future. The previously calculated revenue was about US$$12.5 million per plant per year – pyrolysis oil could easily replace fossil-based raw materials to generate revenue and match sustainability and tightened regulatory requirements.
Enviro develops, builds, and operates industrial plants for material recovery from ELTs. It has developed a process, based on patented technology, which enables the materials in the tyres to be recovered instead of incinerated. One of the recovered products, pyrolysis oil, has high bio content due to the natural rubber in ELTs; re-using the oil will thus reduce negative impact on the environment and the climate. A recycling plant based on Enviro’s standard model can process approximately 30,000 tonnes of ELTs/year to recover approximately 14,000 tonnes of pyrolysis oil.
“Based on the market response and our own calculations, we judge that the oil recovered from ELTs could contribute to a strong increase of revenues from recycling plants that use our technology,” said Enviro CEO Thomas Soerensson.
Now, Enviro intends to intensify its activities to certify the recovered pyrolysis oil to make it even more commercially viable: it is working with the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE) and major players in the oil industry to increase the recovery rate for pyrolysis oil and expand its applications. Enviro will also certify the recovered oil in accordance with the European Union’s REACH regulations, which would facilitate its trade and transport.