Current tire recycling is limited; pyrolysis offers better circularity but faces environmental concerns and implementation risks.
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Most tires are currently either burned or ground into powder or granules to create artificial surfaces. While Europe recycles hundreds of thousands of tons of tires annually, current practices do not achieve true circularity; about 40% are used for energy recovery (burning), and around 50% undergo mechanical processing into materials like rubber granules for use in sports surfaces or asphalt additives. Currently, it is not technologically feasible to profitably turn this material back into high-quality raw material for new tires, making the process more of downcycling than full recycling. Pyrolysis, a newer method involving thermal decomposition without oxygen, offers closer to true recycling by producing pyrolysis oil (usable as fuel or chemical feedstock), gas (used for heating the process), and solid residue (recycled carbon). A pyrolysis plant is planned in Vřesová, which aims to process 34,000 tons of tires yearly. Although proponents claim environmental benefits like reduced CO2 emissions, experts remain concerned that fundamental issues from earlier applications have not been resolved in the new permit application, and there are ongoing uncertainties regarding potential chemical leaks such as PAHs and dioxins. The author concludes that this new recycling method addresses a symptom rather than the root cause of tire waste—the increasing demand for tires due to automotive traffic—and may primarily serve industrial efforts to maintain current operations while reducing perceived negative impacts.
