Since 2008, European Waste Framework Directive establishes End-of-Life Tyres (ELTs) mandatory managing. In Europe, more than 3 million ELTs tonnes are generated every year. Regarding material recovery, primary recycling treatments produce ELTs granulated rubbers.
Current market R&D efforts are focused on adapt downcycling applications to these granulated rubbers, featuring an open-loop recycling, since it doesn´t recover rubber to be introduced as raw material in rubber industry. Hence, not exploiting the great potential of ELTs rubbers, leading to a non-resource efficient and less European competitiveness.
VALUE-RUBBER proposes a game-changing idea, betting for the high risk innovation of fully recovering rubber from ELTs to be used as a real substitute of virgin rubbers.
Consortium partners are working together in order to assure a successful development and further industrial stage of DevulCore, an innovative recycling technology of rubber from ELTs which achieves the complete rubber devulcanization. The obtained product is a recycled rubber, Value-Rubber, with a maximized potential to be used as a full substitute of virgin rubbers in conventional manufacturing processes.
DevulCore technology is already demonstrated in relevant environment obtaining high quality products. The consortium business vision includes the commercialization of the DevulCore technology and the Value-Rubber products as well as the exploitation of the 1st DevulCore Plant. Our market-driven innovation will contribute to the EU circular economy and EU raw materials challenge, while it will both create a new market for ELT recyclers and fulfill demands of EU rubber goods manufacturers.
It is expected an important growth for consortium companies, obtaining a total turnover above €178.24 M, a total profit of €41.56 M and a ROI of 878% in 2022-2025 period. Some expected benefits are: Savings for European end-users of €965.62 M, creation of 1,802 new jobs and 4.64 Mtonnes of CO2 savings.