Bridgestone Americas has debuted a demonstration commercial tire featuring 70% recycled and renewable materials.
The tire, which features 37% renewable and 33% recycled material, is the first commercially available tire to reach this level of sustainable materials, and is the company’s first waste-specific tire to earn International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS certification, a globally recognized system that supports the transition to a circular economy and bioeconomy.
The tire debuted at the WasteExpo event in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bridgestone also presented its new Drive-Over System for fleets.
Sustainable tires
The 70% recycled and renewable demonstration tire is based on the Bridgestone M870, a high-scrub, all-position radial waste and recycling tire specifically designed for urban waste collection fleets. Using a mass balance approach – a chain of custody method used to trace the flow of alternative materials through complex value chains – the demonstration tire uses circular synthetic rubber, such as butadiene and halo butyl rubber, circular carbon black and natural rubber. The tire marks a notable step toward total circularity, Bridgestone said.
During the production process, the certified alternative materials are mixed with conventional materials, becoming indistinguishable over time. Using this approach, Bridgestone says it can document and track the exact quantity of alternative materials, ensuring the quantity matches what is used at the start of production. A limited run of tires will be used on waste fleets later this month.
“The debut of this 70% recycled and renewable demonstration tire is not a glimpse into the future, but the reality of today,” said Steve Hoeft, president, commercial truck group, Bridgestone Americas. “With this tire, and the work done with our supply chain, we’ve created new opportunities with a proven product by meeting the rigorous standards set by the ISCC. This tire directly demonstrates how Bridgestone can help fleets achieve their sustainability goals now with expertly manufactured premium tires.”
Tire monitoring systems
The new Drive-Over System is an in-yard solution that uses uniquely designed plates to capture tread depth measurements. The technology is designed to provide fleets with a comprehensive look at each tire’s tread depth and alerts about irregular wear issues. With frequent data collection, the system is designed to enable fleets to make better-informed decisions related to maintenance and avoid premature or overdue tire removal.
In related news, Nexen Tire recently signed a long-term supply agreement with LD Carbon, a resource circulation and material recycling firm, for recovered carbon black (rCB) to boost the adoption of sustainable materials. Click here to read the full story
