Pyrolysis is an effective method for extracting carbon black from waste tires and rubber. The resulting recovered carbon black (rCB) closely resembles virgin carbon black. It can widely serve as a filler and reinforcing agent in materials like rubber and plastics production. Utilizing rCB reduces production costs and waste and supports the principles of a circular economy. Let’s see how it aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Knowing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are 17 global goals established by the United Nations in 2015. These goals aim to tackle urgent challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, and peace and justice by 2030. The SDGs strive to foster a fair and sustainable world, ensuring everyone can lead prosperous and peaceful lives while protecting the planet. They are a universal call to action, applicable to all nations and communities.
How Tire Pyrolysis Carbon Black Advances the SDGs
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Reduce Resource Consumption: Tire pyrolysis reclaims carbon black from waste tires, cutting down on the need for virgin fossil fuel-based resources. Traditional carbon black production consumes around 1.5 tons of fossil fuel and large amounts of water per ton. By recycling carbon black, pyrolysis conserves raw materials and reduces water usage.
- Lower Dependency on Virgin Materials: Instead of extracting fresh resources, this method uses existing materials (waste tires) as a carbon black source. This approach aligns with circular economy principles and encourages sustainable production cycles.
SDG 13: Climate Action
- Reduce CO₂ Emissions: Traditional carbon black manufacturing releases 2.5–3.0 tons of CO₂ per ton of product, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. The pyrolysis plant method mainly utilizes cleaner combustible gas energy, significantly curtailing new emissions associated with fossil fuel use.
- Mitigate Negative Environmental Impact of Waste Tires: Globally, over 4 billion waste tires are landfilled, with around 1.8 billion more added each year. Using tire pyrolysis to recover carbon black reduces the negative waste tire accumulation/landfilling/incineration.
