Neste Successfully Converts Discarded Tires into High-Quality Raw Material for Chemicals and Plastics

Neste Successfully Converts Discarded Tires into High-Quality Raw Material for Chemicals and Plastics

(IN BRIEF) Neste has achieved a significant milestone in chemical recycling by processing pyrolysis oil derived from discarded vehicle tires, supplied by Scandinavian Enviro Systems, into high-quality raw material for new plastics and chemicals at its refinery in Porvoo, Finland. This successful processing run marks a leap forward in expanding the scope of chemical recycling beyond plastic waste, potentially broadening the range of waste streams that can be transformed into valuable products. With discarded tires often ending up in landfills or incineration due to their complex composition, chemical recycling offers a viable solution to keep valuable materials in circulation and contribute to a circular economy. Neste’s commitment to chemical recycling is further underscored by its ongoing investments in large-scale capacities at its Porvoo site, set to be completed by 2025, as part of the EU-funded project PULSE.

(PRESS RELEASE) ESPOO, 22-Apr-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — In its efforts to advance chemical recycling, Neste has successfully conducted its first processing trial run with a new challenging raw material, liquefied discarded tires. In the processing run, Neste produced high-quality raw material for new plastics and chemicals.

For the processing run, Neste sourced pyrolysis oil derived from discarded vehicle tires by Scandinavian Enviro Systems, a Swedish company developing technologies to recover materials from end-of-life products. The goal of Neste’s pilot run was to evaluate the potential of chemical recycling beyond plastic waste to potentially broaden the pool of waste streams that could be processed into high-quality products.

Just as with hard-to-recycle plastic waste, a large amount of tires today ends up in landfills or incineration at the end of their life cycle. The composition of tires as a mix of several materials makes them difficult to recycle with mechanical recycling methods. Hence, there is a strong case for using chemical recycling to help keep valuable materials in circulation – and Scandinavian Enviro Systems has developed a pyrolysis technology for extracting carbon black and oil from end-of-life tires.

“The beauty of chemical recycling is that it can process hard-to-recycle plastic waste. But it’s not limited to that,” explains Andreas Teir, who is in charge of Neste’s raw materials supply for chemical recycling. “With discarded tires currently often facing a fate similar to plastic waste, we consider chemical recycling a valid addition when it comes to changing the linear life cycle of tires into a circular one. Thanks to our supplier Enviro Systems, we were able to prove that with our recent processing run.”

In the past, Neste has already successfully concluded several processing runs with liquefied waste plastic. These runs built the basis for Neste’s decision to invest into large-scale capacities for chemical recycling at the company’s site in Porvoo, Finland. The facilities being built are expected to be finished in the course of 2025 and will be able to process 150,000 tons of liquefied waste plastic per year. They are part of project PULSE, which is funded by the European Union through the EU Innovation Fund.

Susanna Sieppi, Vice President, Communications and Brand (act.)

Neste in brief

Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) creates solutions for combating climate change and accelerating a shift to a circular economy. The company refines waste, residues and innovative raw materials into renewable fuels and sustainable feedstock for plastics and other materials.

As the world’s leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel and a forerunner in developing renewable and circular feedstock solutions for polymers and chemicals, Neste helps its customers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 million tons annually by 2030.

The company’s ambition is to make the Porvoo oil refinery in Finland the most sustainable refinery in Europe by 2030. Neste is committed to reaching carbon-neutral production by 2035, and will reduce the carbon emission intensity of sold products by 50% by 2040. Neste has also set high standards for biodiversity, human rights and the supply chain. The company has consistently been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices and the Global 100 list of the world’s most sustainable companies. In 2023, Neste’s revenue stood at EUR 22.9 billion. Read more: neste.com

Enviro Systems in brief

Scandinavian Enviro Systems contributes to enhanced environmental and economic sustainability using a patented technology for the recovery of valuable raw materials from scrapped and end-of-life products, including tires. The production of new tires using carbon black recovered with Enviro’s technology reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 93 per cent compared with the use of virgin carbon black. Enviro has its head office in Gothenburg and a plant for the recycling of end-of-life tires in Åsensbruk. The largest owner is the French tire manufacturer Michelin. Enviro was founded in 2001 and is listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market.

Media Contact:

Neste:
Tel.: +358 800 94025
email: media@neste.com

Enviro Systems:
Fredrik Emilson
CEO Enviro
+46 (0)706-05 67 83
fredrik.emilson@envirosystems.se

Alf Blomqvist
Chairman of the Board Enviro
+46 (0)733-14 97 00
alf@blomqvistunlimited.com
info@envirosystems.se

SOURCE: Neste Corporation