A Norwegian company developing the chemical recycling of waste tyres has chosen the UK port of Sunderland to construct its first facility. Wastefront announced in the summer that it wanted to establish itself in the UK and has now identified the Port of Sunderland with construction set to begin next year and the plant being operational in the second half of 2022.
Using pyrolysis, the plant will convert locally-sourced end-of-life (ELT) tyres into liquid hydrocarbons and carbon black, which can then be reutilised in processes such as alternative fuel or ground rubber manufacturing. Construction is expected to generate around 100 jobs in the region and eventually employ up to 30 people full time. The plant will at full scale include 12 reactors to utilise pyrolysis to break down tyre materials at elevated temperatures. By sending tyres through pyrolytic reactors with a catalyst, Wastefront converts disused tyres into liquid hydrocarbons, carbon black and heat.
‘Our ambition is to create a new circular economy for dealing with waste issues, and a crucial element of sustainable waste handling is to be able to do so locally. Wastefront’s first plant in Sunderland will represent a valuable contribution to a cleaner future by dealing with a specific waste problem, where end-of-life tyres no longer end up in landfills in overseas countries but instead are converted into useful commodities that can be used within the region.’
Source: Recycling International
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