Schwalbe started making bicycle tires that were completely enriched with recycled rCB

According to the European Rubber Journal: Schwalbe, the German manufacturer of bicycle tyres, has announced that it has started production of its first "new series" tyres using Pyrum Innovations AG recycled carbon black (rCB).

The rCB was derived from the pyrolysis of waste bicycle tires. The bicycle tires are collected by Schwalbe through its "Waste Tire Recycling system" from professional dealers all over Germany. The waste tyres are collected by a network of dealers in specially made recycling bins, which are then collected and shipped to partner Pyrum in Dillingen, Saarland, Germany. There, Pyrum, a waste tyre pyrolysis company, uses a holistic recycling process to treat waste tyres. According to Schwalbe, the pyrolysis recovery process can reduce CO2 emissions by 80 percent compared to traditional incineration.

Schwalbe reports: "The first cycle tyres made entirely of rCB instead of industrial carbon black are in production. rCB tires will be available in stores in June. Schwalbe claims to be the first manufacturer in the world to take scrap tyres and use them to make new ones. According to the report, this result was achieved on the basis of long-term cooperation and joint research between Schwalbe, Pyrum and the Cologne University of Technology.

The family-owned company now aims to expand production of bicycle tyres containing rCB and is conducting "in-depth research" into its rubber formula. Since its launch in early 2022, more than 1,600 retailers have joined the German waste bike tyre recycling programme, recycling around 400,000 tyres.