Triple boost for tyre recycling

US recycling specialist Prism Worldwide has unveiled three innovations which it says will advance the treatment of end-of-life tyres and other rubber materials.

The company is claiming significant advances in odour reduction, sustainable thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV), and the reuse of high-content ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).
Prism says the three challenges have long been considered barriers to wider adoption of recycled materials in consumer and industrial products. The materials are developed using non-capital-intensive processes that deliver lower costs compared to virgin materials.

‘Turning point’

Ceo Bob Abramowitz calls the development ‘a turning point for end-of-life tyre recycling and sustainable polymer development’.

‘These are not incremental improvements. We’ve tackled odour, cost and performance, three of the biggest barriers to more widespread adoption of recycled materials and overcome them all with commercially viable solutions.

‘Our team’s diligence in developing solutions that solve these challenges allows us to deliver cost-effective, high-performance materials without requiring customers to pay a green premium. Companies pay lip service to sustainability values but they change their tune when it costs more. We are creating additional profit opportunities while helping them to meet corporate sustainability objectives.’

Three innovations

Prism’s new technology suite includes:

• Odour-reduced tyre materials: Validated by an independent lab to automotive-grade odour panel testing and VOC requirements, the materials are said to meet the requirements for automotive interiors, consumer products, building materials, and other odoor-sensitive applications.
• Sustainable TPV: Prism has developed a patent-pending sustainable TPV where the rubber portion is derived from end-of-life tyre materials.
• High-content recycled EPDM: This rubber is widely used in automotive weatherstripping and gaskets, roofing and industrial applications but is difficult to recycle because it is crosslinked. Prism’s patent-pending devulcanization process makes it possible to reuse EPDM at high content levels while delivering on key physical performance properties.

Developed and patented in the United States, Prism’s technology and products are American-made and American-sourced.