Circularity & End-of-life
Tyres: A Model for Circular Economy in Europe
The tyre industry is at the forefront of the circular economy, ensuring optimal resource efficiency and environmental performance.
 Tyres are designed for longevity, and their lifecycle is extended through retreading, recycling, and material recovery, contributing to waste reduction, resource efficiency, and job creation.
A resilient tyre circular economy requires clear regulatory frameworks, market incentives, and cross-sector collaboration. The Circular Economy Act that will be published by the European Commission in 2026 should remove barriers, harmonise standards, and enhance End-of-Life Tyre (ELT) collection and recycling to foster innovation in sustainable materials.
Tyres are listed as a priority product in the adopted workplan of ESPR.
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) aims to establish circularity requirements for tyre design. Â
To maximise its effectiveness, harmonised regulations are needed to prevent overlaps, particularly, in remanufacturing and refurbishment. Â
Tyre-specific ecodesign requirements should consider performance across the full lifecycle
Product requirements focusing on individual characteristics (such as material content or production impacts) should be assessed alongside durability, rolling resistance and other performance parameters to avoid shifting impacts from one lifecycle stage to another.
Tyres Europe is a member of the European Commission’s Ecodesign Forum, which will play a pivotal role in implementing ESPR.
Advancing ELT Collection & Recycling: 95% Recovery Rate
Recovery Rate Chart (PDF)
The European tyre industry has achieved a 95% ELT collection and treatment rate, transforming used tyres into secondary raw materials. These materials support industries such as construction, automotive, cement, and road infrastructure.
Key ELT recycling methods include:
Material Recovery:
Producing rubber granules, steel, and textiles for reuse, including wheels for caddies, dustbins, wheelbarrows, lawnmowers, urban furniture, signposts, paving blocks or tiles, and roofing materials.
Rubber Modified Asphalt:
Enhancing road durability, reducing noise pollution, and improving safety in wet conditions.
Steel Industry Applications:
Shredded tyres replace anthracite and scrap metal in electric arc furnaces.
Civil Engineering Uses:
Whole and shredded tyres are used in road embankments, sound barriers, and drainage systems.
To ensure the further development of a well-functioning internal EU market for recycled materials, and support the objectives of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the European Commission must introduce harmonised End-of-Waste criteria for tyre-derived materials
For every tyre sold, a tyre is collected and made available for recycling
This effort is supported by different management systems, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), free market systems, and tax systems, all designed to ensure environmentally sound disposal of ELTs.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)Â
Liberal System (Free market)
Tax System (Government responsibility financed through a tax system)
Albania
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Austria
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- ELT Arising: 55,612 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 47%
- Energy Recovery: 53%
- Total ELT Treatment: 55,612 t
- ELT Treated: 100%
Belgium
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2004
National member of ETRMA: Recytyre
- ELT Arising: 89.531 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 100%
- Energy Recovery:
- Total ELT Treatment: 89.530 t
- ELT Treated: 100%
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Bulgaria
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2012.
- ELT Arising: 45.426 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 68%
- Energy Recovery: 20%
- Total ELT Treatment: 39.605 t
- ELT Treated: 87%
Croatia
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- ELT Arising: 55.612 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 76%
- Energy Recovery: 4%
- Total ELT Treatment: 89.530 t
- ELT Treated: 100%
Cyprus
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2011
- ELT Arising: 6.900 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 36%
- Energy Recovery (E): 109%
- Total ELT Treatment: 10.000 t
- ELT Treated: 145%
Czechia
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Publication year: 2002
- ELT Arising: 81.818 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 62%
- Energy Recovery: 33%
- Total ELT Treatment: 78.451 t
- ELT Treated: 96%
Denmark
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- ELT Arising: 48.300 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 100%
- Energy Recovery: –
- Total ELT Treatment: 48.076 t
- ELT Treated: 100%
Estonia
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2006.
- ELT Arising: 15.499 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: 27%
- Recycling: 64%
- Energy Recovery: 29%
- Total ELT Treatment: 18.719 t
- ELT Treated: 121%
Finland
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Publications year: 1996
- ELT Arising: 64.952 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: 77%
- Recycling: 9%
- Energy Recovery: 3%
- Total ELT Treatment: 58.311 t
- ELT Treated: 90%
France
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Publications year: 2004
- ELT Arising: 396.769 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: 2%
- Recycling: 40%
- Energy Recovery: 59%
- Total ELT Treatment: 400.016 t
- ELT Treated: 101%
Germany
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- ELT Arising: 386.000 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 68%
- Energy Recovery: 34%
- Total ELT Treatment: 394.000 t
- ELT Treated: 102%
Greece
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Publications year: 2006
- ELT Arising: 52.761 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 66%
- Energy Recovery: 18%
- Total ELT Treatment: 44.538 t
- ELT Treated: 84%
Hungary
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2006.
- ELT Arising: 43.757 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 93%
- Energy Recovery: 9%
- Total ELT Treatment: 44.574 t
- ELT Treated: 102%
Ireland
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Publications year: 2017
- ELT Arising: 33.146 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 87%
- Energy Recovery: 13%
- Total ELT Treatment: 33.164 t
- ELT Treated: 100%
Italy
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2011
- ELT Arising: 370.000 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: 100 t
- Recycling: 37%
- Energy Recovery: 56%
- Total ELT Treatment: 343.100 t
- ELT Treated: 93%
Kosovo
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Latvia
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2006.
- ELT Arising: 15.138 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 38%
- Energy Recovery: 62%
- Total ELT Treatment: 15.138 t
- ELT Treated: 100%
Lithuania
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2003.
- ELT Arising: 24.428 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 56%
- Energy Recovery: 51%
- Total ELT Treatment: 26.136 t
- ELT Treated: 107%
Luxemburg
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Malta
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2021
- ELT Arising: 2.300 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 100%
- Energy Recovery: –
- Total ELT Treatment: 2.300 t
- ELT Treated: 100%
Montenegro
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Netherlands
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Publications year: 2000
- ELT Arising: 84.199 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 98%
- Energy Recovery: 2%
- Total ELT Treatment: 84.041 t
- ELT Treated: 100%
North Macedonia
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Norway
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Publications year: 1996
- ELT Arising: 62.489 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 25%
- Energy Recovery: 58%
- Total ELT Treatment: 52.117 t
- ELT Treated: 83%
Poland
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2002
National member of ETRMA: CUO
- ELT Arising: 252.600 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 45%
- Energy Recovery: 30%
- Total ELT Treatment: 188.800 t
- ELT Treated: 75%
Portugal
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Publications year: 2002
- ELT Arising: 71.131 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: 192 t
- Recycling: 78%
- Energy Recovery: 37%
- Total ELT Treatment: 81.646 t
- ELT Treated: 115%
Romania
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Publications year: 2006
- ELT Arising: 48.691 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: –
- Energy Recovery: 100%
- Total ELT Treatment: 48.691 t
- ELT Treated: 100%
Serbia
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- ELT Arising: 43.882 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 116%
- Energy Recovery: –
- Total ELT Treatment: 50.726 t
- ELT Treated: 116%
Slovakia
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Publications year: 2016
- ELT Arising: 32.377 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 69%
- Energy Recovery: 22%
- Total ELT Treatment: 29.454 t
- ELT Treated: 91%
Slovenia
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2000
- ELT Arising: 27.101 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 32%
- Energy Recovery: 48%
- Total ELT Treatment: 21.601 t
- ELT Treated: 80%
Spain
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Implementation year: 2006
- ELT Arising: 255.613 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: 60 t
- Recycling: 57%
- Energy Recovery: 44%
- Total ELT Treatment: 258.133 t
- ELT Treated: 101%
Sweden
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Publications year: 1996
- ELT Arising: 79.308 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: 14%
- Recycling: 26%
- Energy Recovery: 60%
- Total ELT Treatment: 79.312 t
- ELT Treated: 100%
Switzerland
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- ELT Arising: 58.900 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 47%
- Energy Recovery: 53%
- Total ELT Treatment: 58.900 t
- ELT Treated: 100%
Türkiye
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- ELT Arising: 256.297 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: –
- Recycling: 69%
- Energy Recovery: 22%
- Total ELT Treatment: 233.363 t
- ELT Treated): 91%
UK
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- ELT Arising: 513.975 t
- Civil engineering, public works & backfilling: 7%
- Recycling: 36%
- Energy Recovery: 55%
- Total ELT Treatment: 505.136 t
- ELT Treated: 98%
Retreading: Maximising Resource Efficiency & Reducing Emissions
Retreading extends the life of tyres by replacing worn tread with new material, cutting waste generation and raw material consumption.
According to Tyres Europe’s latest Life Cycle analysis, retreading process had 52% lower cradle-to-gate greenhouse-gas impacts than producing the new medium-to-low-performance tyres required to cover the same distance.
The overall environmental benefit of retreading depends on maintaining adequate rolling resistance and mileage performance during use.Â
A retreaded tyre enables saving...
Resource extraction
reusing the casing avoided the use of non-renewable resources.
COâ‚‚ emissions
Air pollution
as measured by particulate matter emissions
Water consumption
due to the reduced need for new raw materials.
... compared to a low-end non-retreadable tyre.
Pyrolysis & Chemical Recycling: Unlocking New Value from ELTs
Pyrolysis technology breaks down tyres into gas, oil, and recovered carbon black (rCB), offering a low-carbon alternative to virgin petrochemical materials.
Recovered Carbon Black (rCB) reduces tyre manufacturers’ dependence on fossil-based materials and cuts CO2 emissions by up to 85%.
Tyres Europe advocates for pyrolysis to be recognised as a recycling process, driving investment in innovative tyre recycling technologies.