Continental is increasing its use of recycled materials in tyre manufacturing, with more facilities now using polyester fabric made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. This initiative has raised the recycled content in several tyre lines by an average of thee percent. Depending on the tyre size, up to 15 PET bottles can be used in a single tyre, conserving valuable resources.

“Reduce, reuse, recycle – this trio is key to more sustainable tyres “, says Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires.

“Reduce, reuse, recycle – this trio is key to more sustainable tyres. Wherever possible, we use recycled materials while maintaining our highest quality standards,” says Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires. “Our polyester yarn made from recycled PET bottles is just as strong as conventional polyester yarn. This shows that sustainability, performance, and safety go hand in hand at Continental.

The company’s ContiRe.Tex technology, unveiled in late 2021, processes PET bottles that would otherwise go unrecycled. These bottles are spun into high-performance polyester yarn without intermediate chemical treatments, producing materials robust enough to meet the demands of tyre manufacturing.

Since 2022, this technology has been used on a limited scale at Continental’s tyre plants in Lousado, Portugal, and Otrokovice, Czech Republic. Recently, facilities in Korbach, Germany, and Sarreguemines, France, have also adopted recycled PET in series production.

Ambitious sustainability goals

The transition to sustainable materials aligns with Continental’s broader sustainability strategy. The company aims to increase the proportion of renewable and recycled materials in its tyres to over 40% by 2030. By then, all new car and light truck tyres are expected to feature high-performance polyester fibres made entirely from sustainable PET.

At present, an average passenger tyre contains 15–20 percent recycled and renewable materials. By 2050, Continental plans for all its new tyres to be made from 100 percent sustainable materials.

Turning waste into high-quality materials

Continental’s use of recycled PET is part of a broader effort to replace raw materials with sustainable alternatives. Textile fabrics made from recycled polyester enhance the strength, flexibility, and durability of tyres, with performance matching that of materials derived from crude oil.

In addition to recycled PET, Continental is exploring other sustainable materials, including bio-based and chemically recycled PET. Agricultural by-products, such as rice husk ash, rubber from dandelions and recycled rubber, are also being tested for future use.

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Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (publ) has taken a significant step forward in its Nordic expansion by submitting an environmental permit application for its first wholly owned, full-scale pyrolysis plant in the region. The company has also secured an exclusive option to purchase the property where the facility is intended to be located.

Designed to process over 70,000 tonnes of end-of-life tyres annually, the proposed plant represents a core pillar of Enviro’s long-term strategy focused on wholly owned facilities. The permit submission and property option mark continued execution of the company’s industrial scale-up, supported by constructive dialogue with relevant authorities and stakeholders. Preliminary feedback from regulators could arrive before the end of the second quarter of 2026.

While the property option allows Enviro to reserve the site ahead of a final investment decision, the planned establishment remains conditional on receiving the necessary environmental approvals, a final investment decision and other standard project requirements.

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The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has thrown its support behind a legislative provision known as Section 114, or Advancing Tire Technologies, included in H.R. 7389. The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted favourably to advance the ‘Motor Vehicle Modernization Act of 2026’ during a markup session held yesterday. USTMA credited Congressman Russell Fry for his leadership on tyre safety and acknowledged the bipartisan committee staff work that successfully pushed for modernised federal motor vehicle safety standards.

The association stressed that tyres are critical to moving people and goods across the country. As representatives of the entire industry value chain, USTMA and its membership recognise the importance of fostering a safer and more connected society. The new language directs the Transportation Secretary to eliminate obsolete testing methods for radial tyres, update snow tyre failure modes, review similar updates for all tyres, adopt stricter speed symbol requirements and commission a GAO study to evaluate global regulations and recommend further safety improvements.

With the committee’s approval secured, USTMA has now urged all House members to pass the legislation on the floor and send it to the Senate for deliberation. The organisation is advocating for the removal of outdated plunger energy and bead unseat tests under federal standards while pushing for more stringent performance evaluations to ensure consumer access to the highest performing tyres available globally.

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Solvay has redirected funds from an internal carbon pricing mechanism on business travel towards local environmental projects, mobilising over EUR 750,000 since 2023. The company launched its Travel Carbon Fund that year, applying a EUR 100 per tonne of CO₂ levy on emissions from employee travel. Proceeds are reinvested directly at site levels into initiatives that might otherwise lack traditional investment backing.

In 2026, three new projects joined nine already-supported projects worldwide. In Dombasle, France, Solvay will restore more than 20 hectares of ecosystems and expand reforestation. In Brazil’s Paulínia and Santo André sites, two separate projects aim to boost energy efficiency, cut CO₂ output and conserve water. To date, collective results include nearly 72,000 trees planted, over 38,000 cubic meters of water saved annually and more than 80 hectares restored or replanted across seven countries.

These efforts have also helped reduce business travel emissions by 22 percent between 2024 and 2025. Solvay remains on track with broader sustainability targets, having already cut direct emissions by 29 percent against a 2030 goal of 30 percent, reduced value chain emissions by 13 percent toward a 20 percent goal and placed 16 percent of land under conservation or restoration towards a 30 percent target by the end of the decade.

Jean-Charles Djelalian, Chief Sustainability Officer, Solvay, said, “As a global company, we rely on business travel to stay close to our customers, develop strategic partnerships and engage with our teams. While the greenhouse gas emissions derived from our travels can be reduced through responsible practices, they cannot be eliminated entirely. The Travel Carbon Fund allows us to take responsibility for what remains and turn it into concrete sustainability projects, all while creating engagement and pride across our sites and teams. While relatively modest in scale, the Travel Carbon Fund illustrates a practical approach to scope 3 emissions: tackling what can be avoided and converting what remains into projects that deliver tangible environmental benefits.”

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Premium tyre manufacturer Hankook has secured a “Highly Recommended” rating for its Dynapro AT2 tyre in the Best Tyres for Pick-Up Trucks category of the DriverReviews 2026/27 Customer Choice Awards. The all-season Dynapro AT2 is engineered as a dependable all-terrain SUV tyre offering year-round safety and performance.

Three additional Hankook tyres also received recommendations in their respective segments. The Ventus S1 evo3 SUV, an ultra-high performance tyre blending sporty handling with everyday comfort, was cited in the Best Tyres for Large SUVs category. The Kinergy eco2 earned a nod in the Best Tyres for City Cars class for its efficiency and low running costs, while the Vantra LT, a durable light van tyre designed for high mileage and commercial use, was recognised in the Best Tyres for Vans category. These honours underscore Hankook’s consistent performance and popularity among drivers across France, Italy, Germany, and other key European markets.

Based on over 548,000 verified customer reviews, the DriverReviews awards reflect genuine on-road experiences across diverse vehicles and conditions, making the platform one of Europe’s largest and most trusted independent review sites. Since partnering with DriverReviews in 2021, Hankook has repeatedly demonstrated its innovative range and reliability, reinforcing its continental reputation for quality and customer satisfaction.

Paul Emery, Sales Director, Hankook Tyre UK, said, “We are delighted to be recognised across four categories in the DriverReviews 2026/27 Customer Choice Awards. Our longstanding partnership with DriverReviews continues to be incredibly valuable, as it reflects genuine customer feedback from across Europe. These results are a testament to the quality and performance of our tyre range, and further reinforce Hankook’s reputation as a trusted choice for drivers.”

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