Tire recycling facility ramps up in the Netherlands

United Kingdom-based Circtec says King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands visited its new end-of-life tires (ELTs) recycling plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands, in late January, in a ceremony it says marked the completion of construction and commissioning of the plant, which uses pyrolysis technology.

Cirtec announced funding for the facility in May 2024. Last month, says the company, the visiting king “formally started the operation of the plant by personally loading waste tire feedstock” into a Circular Industrial Fuel & Raw Material (CIFR) pyrolysis reactor.

The company calls its CIFR reactor a proprietary chemical recycling technology that can convert ELT scrap into high-value new products. “With Phase 1 of the Delfzijl plant now in operation, the plant can recycle 50,000 metric tons per year of waste tyres,” states Circtec.

Circtec says it will deploy pyrolysis and upgrading processes to produce a marine fuel known as HUPA, recycled-content naphtha used as an ingredient in plastics, polymers and chemicals, and recovered carbon black (rCB) that can be used in the making of new tires and rubber products.

The company says it plans to commence construction of Phase 2 of the plant later this year, which will expand the plant capacity in a modular fashion up to a total plant recycling capacity of 200,000 metric tons per year of ELTs.

Circtec says it has buyers for the products that will be made at the Delfzijl plant, including what it calls long-term offtake partnerships with Birla Carbon for some of its rCB and BP for some of the HUPA, recycled-content naphtha and tire pyrolysis oil.

“Let us work together to scale this success further so that this plant may inspire others, here in the Netherlands and far beyond, to rethink waste, reimagine value and to keep moving forward, tenaciously, innovatively, and with strategic vision toward a sustainable and resilient industrial future,” said Circtec CEO and cofounder Allen Timpany at the opening ceremony.

“The Birla Carbon-Circtec partnership has grown over the last few years, and the opening of this facility will support the availability of Continua Sustainable Carbonaceous Material (SCM) across Europe and markets around the world,” remarked John Loudermilk, CEO of Mumbai-based Birla Carbon.

On behalf of London-based BP, Corné Boot, who heads operations in the Netherlands for the company, said, “This is a great example of companies and governments working together delivering green growth. By partnering with Circtec, BP can help scale advanced circular feedstocks and biofuels, creating real impact for industry and transport in the Netherlands and beyond.”