The National Green Tribunal of India had accused the country of failing to develop an efficient waste tyre management solution. It appealed to the Central Pollution Control Board to devise a strategy to address the alarming issue.

Tyre waste management has become a concerning affair for many countries. Even with extensive government guidelines and recycling efforts, the rubber wheels are disposed improperly, leading to a massive impact on the environment. Modern-day tyres are produced using a combination of natural and synthetic rubber, which fail to decompose after their life cycle. Often, they pile up in junkyards, landfills and other open spots, contributing massively to the rise in pollution levels. Stockpiled waste tyres release methane gas, leading to an increase in carbon footprint and accelerating climate change. 

The Indian sub-continent is a heavy contributor to the menace, with its tyre waste accounting for only 6-7 percent globally, according to media reports. Apart from the domestic tyre manufacturing industry producing millions of tyres a year, it is estimated that around 300,000 tonnes of waste tyres are imported from countries like Australia for recycling and reuse (revealed in media reports). Many developed countries find shipping tyres abroad economically lucrative compared to domestic recycling. 

The used tyres, including those produced domestically, are also used for producing reclaimed rubber, pyrolysis oil and crumb rubber. India stands as the second-largest producer of reclaimed rubber after China. Though India has been recycling and reusing tyres for over four decades, it is estimated that 60 percent are disposed of through illegal dumping, said a media report.

Furthermore, the pyrolysis oil industry has expanded in the country, with villages turning into backyard furnaces at night. Pyrolysis – a form of thermal decomposition – burns tyres to obtain low quality oil while leaving behind an air thick with acrid smoke and soil black with soot. 

The National Green Tribunal of India had accused the country of failing to develop an efficient waste tyre management solution. It appealed to the Central Pollution Control Board to devise a strategy to address the alarming issue. 

Attempting to curb the rising pollution through waste tyres and furthering the country’s commitment towards sustainability, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change tabled a draft notification for regulations on extended producer responsibility (EPR) for waste tyres. 

This policy extends the responsibility of the producer, or importer, to include the disposal of waste tyres and frees consumers from having to worry about responsible disposal.

The notification has been carefully prepared by a committee comprising representatives from the National Institute for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Central Pollution Control Board, National Highway Authority of India, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other private companies and associations involved in the subject. 

The document categorises EPR obligation on the basis of weight (kg or tonnes). According to it, the manufacturers and importers of new tyres have to recycle 35 percent of all new tyres produced or imported in 2020-21 within fiscal 2022-23. The EPR obligations for 2023-24 will be to recycle 70 percent of tyres manufactured or imported in 2021-22. Further down the line, the business category in question will have to recycle 100 percent of tyres produced or imported in 2022-23 as part of EPR goals for fiscal 2024-25. 

Following the realisation of the target till FY25, manufacturers and importers will have to recycle 100 percent of the tyres. However, the waste tyre importers must undertake 100 percent recycling of rubber wheels brought in from abroad each year. According to the new draft, importing waste tyres for producing pyrolysis oil has also been banned. The draft is slated to come into effect from FY23.

However, the document has no mention of retreaders, who are an integral part of tyre reuse and recycling. Speaking on the issue, Karun Sanghi, President, Tyre Retreading Education Association, explained, “The government, in its new draft notification, has tried to cover three aspects – recycle, reuse and reduce. It attempts to reduce the number of tyres produced to bring down wastage. But in India, reducing the production numbers is tough as the transport sector is expanding. The government is improving the roads to increase tyre life, so the numbers will not be affected massively.”

Commenting on whether retreaders are not an integral part of tyre waste management, the industry veteran explained, “The interpretation of the policy decides whether retreaders are an important part or not. The government believes that tyres are produced and then recycled to obtain crumb rubber, reclaimed rubber, pyrolysis oil and carbon black. The government is trying to bring a law to recycle all tyres through this notification. But if the government wants to improve the environment, then the draft has to include the reuse of tyres. If the tyres produced can be reused, more tyres will not be manufactured, and the overall impact on the environment will be less.”

“The government feels that retreading is an intermediary step, and tyres will eventually come for recycling. Hence, it wants the OEMs to take full responsibility,” he added. 

“The government has iterated about reusing tyres, but in the current policy, it has not laid much emphasis on the concept as this process is mainly given shape by retreaders. And the last part of the policy talks about recycling. But what retreaders feel is that reuse is an integral part to gain sustainability, and the government should give weightage to it,” he added. 

Commenting on the association’s attempt to include retreaders within the draft’s ambit, the managing director of Tyresoles said, “We have been in talks with the government ministry but have not received any final answer on the issue.” 

“The current draft notification will help the country as it will make tyre companies responsible for waste disposal. So, tyres will have to be converted into crumb rubber, reclaimed rubber etc. So, the companies will improve the environment,” explained Sanghi. 

Explaining the draft’s ban on imports for deriving pyrolysis oil, he said, “Producing pyrolysis oil from imported tyres hurts the country’s sustainability goals as the indigenous tyre waste is neglected.”

“The retreading market is not performing well as of now. Lockdowns have eased, but vehicles have to move for six months for tyre wear. So, we will have to wait for a couple of months to realise market performance. It will pick up after six months,” he contended while answering a question pertaining to the future of retreading. 

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Birla Carbon will present its carbon black solutions at the Global Polymer Summit 2026, scheduled for 28–30 September at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. The company will exhibit at Booth 417, targeting tyre and mechanical rubber goods (MRG) manufacturers seeking higher performance and reduced environmental impact.

The company’s portfolio spans tyre and MRG applications, addressing durability, strength, abrasion resistance and product life across tyres, belts, hoses, sealing systems and anti-vibration products. Birla Carbon will also feature Continua Sustainable Carbonaceous Material (SCM), a circular carbon range with consistent quality and global availability and Continua Sustainable Carbon Black (SCB), produced from recycled or bio-based feedstocks.

Supported by extensive manufacturing, technical expertise and customer-focused teams across the Americas, Birla Carbon provides reliable volumes, responsive service and tailored solutions. Attendees can meet company experts at Booth 417 to explore its product portfolio, technical capabilities and sustainable offerings.

John Davidson, President – Americas & EMEA, Birla Carbon, said, “The tyre and mechanical rubber goods industries are at an important phase, where performance, supply resilience and sustainability must advance together. The next phase of growth will depend on stronger collaboration across the value chain and the ability to translate innovation into scalable, commercially viable solutions. At Birla Carbon, we are combining our manufacturing network, portfolio strength, technical expertise and regional capabilities to help customers navigate this transition and build more resilient and sustainable businesses.”

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Michelin has unveiled the X Multi Energy D2 tyre, developed to address the specific challenges of regional haul operations. Fleets in this segment face demanding roads, frequent stop-and-start cycles and escalating fuel expenses that affect both performance and profitability. By blending durability, fuel savings and Michelin’s established performance standards, the new tyre aims to boost fleet productivity while reducing overall operating costs.

The tyre features a revised tread pattern and a new tread compound to better resist tread damage caused by high-torque vehicles and stop-and-go regional driving. It is constructed on Michelin’s Duracore casing, which integrates Infinicoil and Powercoil technologies and benefits from a reinforced bead design known as Duracoil Technology. This casing is engineered to last up to one million miles and support as many as four retreads.

In the effort to curb fuel expenses, the X Multi Energy D2 improves rolling resistance by 9 percent over its predecessor, the Michelin X Multi Energy D tyre, and by 18 percent compared with leading competitors. It also enhances late-life traction, offering 10 percent better wet handling and 16 percent better snow starting traction when worn, giving drivers and operations managers greater confidence on varying roads.

For original equipment manufacturers, the tyre meets Greenhouse Gas standards and supports applicable vehicle carbon-reduction requirements. Designed for regional applications where traction, durability and fuel efficiency matter, it is available in 295/75R22.5 LRG and 11R22.5 LRG and LRH sizes, replacing the X Multi Energy D tyre in those sizes.

Yahn Heurlin, VP of B2B Marketing, Michelin North America, Inc., said, “Michelin is driven by a deep commitment to understanding the needs and challenges customers face every day. This customer-first mindset inspires the development of purpose-built solutions designed to address real-world pain points and help fleets operate more efficiently.”

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Firestone, a Bridgestone Americas subsidiary, has unveiled the Destination LE4 highway touring tyre as the successor to its best-selling Destination LE3. The new model features a deeper tread depth, an advanced compound and a non-directional tread pattern, delivering longer wear life along with improved wet and light snow performance for year-round driving confidence.

Backed by a 70,000-mile limited warranty, the Destination LE4 is projected in external testing to wear 16 percent longer than its predecessor, 9 percent longer than the General Grabber H/T and 43 percent longer than the BFGoodrich Advantage Control HT. Thinner 3D sipes enhance traction and handling, while internal testing showed wet stopping distances reduced by 8 feet versus the Toyo Open Country H/T II and 4 feet versus the BFGoodrich Advantage Ctrl HT, with dry stopping improved by 8 feet and 2 feet, respectively, plus a 2-foot dry gain over the LE3.

Sustainability gains come through wear-resistance technology, optimised material usage that lowers raw material consumption and enhanced traction technology. Two technical firsts originated at the Bridgestone Americas Technology Center in Akron, Ohio: a high-strength, lightweight carcass architecture using light body plies and steel cords for durability and low rolling resistance despite deeper tread, and advanced compound mixing that improves ingredient consistency for tread wear, handling and wet grip.

Available in 65 sizes for 15- to 22-inch rims, the Destination LE4 covers small CUVs, SUVs, pickups and larger trucks, including the Mazda CX-5, Ford F-150, RAM 1500, Chevrolet Trailblazer and Nissan Armada.

Jeremy Norwood, Chief Engineer, New Product Engineering, Bridgestone Americas, said, “Drivers loved the Firestone Destination LE3 for its comfortable, quiet ride and all-season reliability. With the new Destination LE4, we enhanced those strengths by extending wear life and improving wet-weather handling, delivering dependable performance, confident control and everyday value.”

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has announced that Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd. (YTRC), its Thai subsidiary focused on natural rubber processing, earned the Outstanding Provincial-Level CSR Organization Award. The honour formed part of the ‘CSR Award 2026’ initiative run by Thailand’s Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the presentation took place on 22 August 2026.

Built around the idea of ‘CSR Partnerships for Sustainable Thailand’, the award programme highlights organisations demonstrating exemplary corporate social responsibility at provincial or metropolitan level throughout the country’s 76 provinces and Bangkok. A total of 92 recipients – among them YTRC, other firms and bodies chosen nationwide and provincial CSR centres – convened at IMPACT Challenger Hall in Nonthaburi Province to collect commemorative plaques.

Governor Jumpot Wannachatsiri (left) presents flowers to YTRC Managing Director Noboru Takita (centre) and Department Manager Supachai Choosuwan at the Surat Thani Provincial Council.

YTRC, established in Surat Thani Province in 2008, has long pursued environmental preservation and dependable ties with nearby communities. Working with the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT), it surveys natural rubber plantations and supplies management assistance to farmers, supporting sustainable procurement of the material. The company further backs agroforestry practices that give rubber farmers steadier incomes while partnering with the Surat Thani Provincial Office of Social Development and Human Security on efforts to nurture constructive community relations.

The recognition reflects YTRC’s continuous community-oriented CSR work and its notable local impact. A special event on 31 August saw the Surat Thani Provincial Council once more acknowledge those contributions, with the governor presenting a celebratory bouquet. Separately, the CSR Center of Surat Thani Province ranked among only nine centres nationwide to win the Outstanding Provincial CSR Promotion Center Award.

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