AZuR’s new video breaks down tire pyrolysis

Willich, Germany – Every year, more than 500,000 tons of end-of-life tires (ELT) are generated in Germany alone. When tires can no longer be repaired, retreaded or reused, they should ideally be processed in a climate-friendly way—preferably through mechanical recycling, but also through chemical recycling when needed.

AZuR’s latest video offers an impressive look at how pyrolysis—an advanced chemical recycling process—helps turn waste into valuable raw materials, keeps resources in circulation, and replaces fossil inputs with more climate-friendly alternatives. It is a major step forward on the path towards a truly circular economy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3XHOxw7ys0

AZuR partners across Germany and Europe are ensuring that end-of-life tires are recycled locally—minimising transport distances and cutting emissions. In modern, high-efficiency pyrolysis plants, shredded and granulated ELT rubber is broken down thermochemically at temperatures of 500 to 700 °C, without oxygen.

The result is a mix of gas, pyrolysis oil and solid carbon residue, which is refined into recovered carbon black (rCB).

Even better, the gas produced during the process can be used to power the pyrolysis system itself—making the entire operation nearly energy self-sufficient. The condensable portion of the gas becomes pyrolysis oil, enabling the recovery of a large proportion of the carbon from the tire’s rubber compounds. In the chemical industry, this oil is used as a substitute for fossil carbon and fed into conventional C4 crackers (on a mass-balance basis) to produce monomers.

Recovered Carbon Black (rCB) recovers the industrial carbon black originally used in tire production. It is finely ground, homogenised and pelletised into a consistent material that can cut CO₂ emissions by up to 80% when used in new tires. It is also used in a wide range of rubber-based products such as floor coverings, gaskets, conveyor belts, paints and coatings, sporting goods, and even textiles. Depending on the application, rCB can completely replace traditional fossil-based carbon black.

Natural and synthetic rubber, along with other fossil-based fillers in tires, are transformed into valuable new materials in an environmentally responsible way. From just one tire, pyrolysis can produce roughly 2.5 litres of oil and 3.5 kilograms of recovered carbon black.

More and more companies across Germany and Europe are beginning to use pyrolysis oil and rCB to reduce their reliance on fossil resources, conserve raw materials and cut harmful CO₂ emissions. These materials are powerful drivers of the shift towards a truly circular economy.

Instead of burning fossil resources, we are putting rubber and carbon from ELTs back into the loop—and giving them new life. That is a major win for sustainable production.

AZuR’s new film makes one thing clear: tire pyrolysis is not the end of the road—it is a new beginning. Rubber and carbon remain in use and out of the waste stream, playing a key role in the transition from a linear to a circular economy.

With this film, AZuR aims to raise awareness and foster transparency, highlighting the significant potential of tire pyrolysis as a climate-friendly recycling technology. The message is aimed at everyone—from industry and policymakers to the wider public.

Tire pyrolysis is a prime example of how innovation can drive circular solutions. AZuR is calling on all of us to take responsibility—for a resource-conscious future, for the next generation, and for our planet.