The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has released its 16th End-of-Life Tire Management Report, revealing positive momentum in tyre recycling with 79 percent of end-of-life tyres being consumed by end-use markets.

This reflects a 10.5 percent increase in overall utilisation, reinforcing that end-of-life tyres remain one of the most recycled and reclaimed consumer products, outpacing materials like metal, glass, aluminium, plastic, and paper.

While this progress is encouraging, USTMA emphasises that collaborative efforts across the tyre recycling value chain must continue to fully eliminate illegal and abandoned tyre stockpiles and create sustainable, circular markets for end-of-life tyres (ELT).

Anne Forristall Luke, President and CEO, USTMA, said, “This over 95 percent reduction in stockpiles is the result of decades of progress developing the tyre recycling industry, remediating stockpile sites, and driving innovation.”

“USTMA’s primary goal is to recycle 100 percent of end-of-life tyres into circular, sustainable markets. However, significant work remains, and to achieve full circularity, we must continue to collaborate with manufacturers, recyclers, policymakers, NGOs, and environmental groups to develop and expand the markets for tyre recycling and reclaiming.”

It is interesting to note that that ground rubber has become the second largest market for end-of-life tyres, increasing 29 percent since 2019 and consuming about 28 percent of end-of-life tyres in 2023. Ground rubber is used in a range of applications, including rubberised asphalt for roads, reflecting the growing demand for sustainable materials in infrastructure and everyday products.

Rubber Modified Asphalt (RMA), a key use of ground rubber, is showing significant growth as a cost-effective, durable solution for U.S. infrastructure. Since 2021, RMA has consumed 165,000 tonnes of ELTs, representing a 17 percent increase.

USTMA states it continues to advocate for federal funding to further scale RMA as part of infrastructure development projects, ensuring long-term benefits, performance, environmental impacts, and to advance tyre circularity.

But in contrast, despite the significant achievements made, approximately 48 million end-of-life tyres still remain in stockpiles. USTMA is engaging all stakeholders in the value chain to drive sustainable practices and eliminate these stockpiles. The Tire Recycling Foundation (TRF), a joint initiative of USTMA and the Tire Industry Association, aims to provide critical support by educating, networking, and collaborating with key players in the recycling ecosystem.

“We’ve made considerable progress, but we’re not done yet,” added Luke. “The industry, policymakers, and recyclers must continue to push forward, advocate for market expansion, and invest in sustainable recycling technologies that can help drive a future where 100 percent of tyres are recycled and reclaimed into sustainable, circular end-use markets.”

Future focus areas

In light of the findings from the report, USTMA and its partners state that they will continue to focus on four key growth areas:

Driving Market Growth Through Research and Data

Building on the 2021 Rubber Modified Asphalt State of Knowledge Report, USTMA will release a Tire Derived Aggregate (TDA) State of Knowledge Report later this year, offering data-driven insights to support market growth and innovation. 

Collaborative Engagement Across the Value Chain

USTMA will continue to strengthen partnerships and collaboration among all stakeholders—manufacturers, recyclers, government agencies, and environmental groups—through initiatives like the Tire Recycling Conference and a series of Rubber Modified Asphalt (RMA) workshops, fostering knowledge sharing and advancing tyre recycling solutions across industries.

Leveraging Federal Infrastructure Funding for ELT Markets

USTMA aims to maximise opportunities from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to scale TDA and RMA markets, reinforcing the critical role of end-use tyres in sustainable U.S. infrastructure.

Supporting Strong State ELT Management Programs

USTMA continues to advocate for robust state programs that effectively manage end-of-life tyres and support sustainable recycling practices, driving innovation and addressing tire stockpile reduction.

Representational image courtesy: Eldan Recycling

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Birla Carbon, a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality carbon materials, has been awarded the prestigious Platinum sustainability rating by EcoVadis, ranking it within the top one percent of all assessed companies globally. This honour recognises the firm’s enterprise-wide leadership in integrating sustainability across its operations, innovation and value chain.

The evaluation specifically commended its strong performance across four key areas: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement. This achievement is further validated by extensive third-party certifications, with over 75 percent of operations certified to international standards including ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 45001, SA8000 and ISO 27001, underscoring the consistency and strength of its sustainability management systems.

John Loudermilk, President and CEO, Birla Carbon, said, “This Platinum rating reflects the steady progress we are making in embedding sustainability at the core of our business. Our growth strategy is geared towards delivering sustainability through innovation, operational excellence and responsible practices across our global footprint. We continually invest in sustainability and circularity-driven processes, keeping our operations sustainably efficient while creating long-term value for our customers, partners, communities and employees. Our sustainability strategy, Share the Future, serves as a roadmap to a sustainable future and guides our actions towards our aspiration of reaching net zero carbon emissions over the next 25 years. Being recognised among the top one percent of companies globally is a testament to the commitment of our teams worldwide.”

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. recently conducted an educational seminar for local natural rubber farmers in partnership with the Surat Thani branch of the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT). This marked the 10th such event since the programme's inception in 2020, involving 50 local farm households. Attendees received complimentary fertiliser, developed with RAOT's expertise, as part of the ongoing support.

The seminar curriculum covered essential agricultural topics, including soil and plant nutrition, correct fertiliser application and methods to prevent contamination in natural rubber. To commemorate the 10th seminar, the programme was expanded to include guest speakers from local government, police and healthcare. These guests addressed broader community and safety issues, such as human rights for foreign and minority workers, road safety and occupational health. A particular focus was placed on practical well-being, with the local hospital director offering guidance on preventing injuries during tree tapping and managing encounters with poisonous insects.

Post-event feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Many expressed that they gained new, systematic knowledge about cultivation practices, despite years of experience. Several noted that hearing directly from a rubber manufacturer reinforced the critical importance of purity in their product. Others found the health and safety advice immediately useful. The engaging delivery of the seminar was also highlighted, with one farmer mentioning a desire to recommend the valuable and enjoyable experience to peers.

This initiative is a direct implementation of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Yokohama Rubber and RAOT in January 2020. The MoU focuses on economic support for farmers and improving supply chain traceability, aligning with the company's Procurement Policy for Sustainable Natural Rubber. Hosted in the region where Yokohama’s Thai natural rubber processing subsidiary, Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd. (YTRC), operates, the seminar exemplifies the policy's guideline to support small-scale farmers within the supply chain.

As a founding member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), Yokohama Rubber is committed to advancing these principles. The company views such efforts as integral to creating shared value under its sustainability slogan, ‘Caring for the Future’, and contributes to broader United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through the promotion of sustainable raw material procurement.

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In a significant event for India’s rubber sector, Minister for Ports, Co-operation & Devaswoms V N Vasavan inaugurated a ceremony for the transfer of innovative latex-based paint technology. This eco-friendly paint, a product derived from natural rubber, was developed by the Rubber Products Incubation Centre of the Rubber Research Institute of India. The technology was formally handed over to Kerala Paints Industries Private Ltd., with the Minister highlighting the event's historic nature for launching a sustainable product and stressing the importance of increasing domestic natural rubber consumption to improve grower returns.

Rubber Board Executive Director M Vasanthagesan outlined the centre's role in converting research into market-ready goods, reaffirming the Board's dedication to creating innovative, value-added rubber products. The gathering also heard remarks from several key figures, including Mahatma Gandhi University's K V Dayal, RRII Director Dr Debabrata Ray, RRII Senior Scientist Dr Shera Mathew and Kerala Paints' Managing Director Midhun P Pullumettel.

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has released its Monthly NR Statistical Report for November 2025, providing an overview of key developments in the global natural rubber sector.

While a modest rise in global production of 1.3 percent is anticipated for the year, this follows a revised, lower output forecast for Indonesia. Concurrently, worldwide demand is projected to grow by a more subdued 0.8 percent, bolstered by an upward adjustment in Indonesia's own consumption figures.

Recent price pressures have emerged due to this combination of uncertain supply, influenced by unpredictable weather patterns and generally muted demand. However, there are sporadic positive indicators, including noticeable recoveries within the tyre sector across some regional markets.

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