Tyrecycle , Australia’s leading tyre recycler, has started making inroads into the huge mining tyre issues in Pilbara, Western Australia
Tyrecycle’s new facility at Port Headland, will have the capacity to process over 30,000 tonnes of OTR mining tyres annually, providing an efficient mine-to-processing service, and enhancing sustainability credentials for operators in one of the world’s busiest mining regions.
Tyrecycle Chief Executive Officer, Jim Fairweather, said opening the facility in such a busy mining area will make it easier than ever to deliver sustainable outcomes for end-of-life mining tyres and conveyor belts. Fairweather said; “As a market leader we are proud to see this first facility of its kind in the country up and running, revolutionising OTR mining tyre recycling will ensure that these massive tyres are no longer seen as a disposal challenge but instead a resource for the achievement of better sustainable outcomes.”
“Transporting end-of-life OTR mining tyres can be a challenge, which is why it was really important that we base this new facility as close to the source of the waste as we can.
“It’s been a five-year journey to get to this point, which is a great step forward for Port Hedland, the biggest export terminal in the world.”
Establishing a new facility in Port Hedland was not without challenges, including how to manage operations amongst the harsh weather conditions of the Pilbara.
Working with DomeShelter Australia, Tyrecycle’s team members and bespoke OTR tyre recycling equipment will be covered by a purpose-built structure, built to withstand all weather conditions.
Operations Manager at Tyrecycle’s new Port Hedland facility, Kane Goldsmith, said the structure allows Tyrecycle to be front and centre in the heart of the country’s busiest mining region, while also providing a safe environment for staff.
“We’re really proud of this new site, working closely with mining companies, we’ve developed a facility that safely and sustainably manages end of life OTR tyres, right on the doorstep of this leading mining region,” he said.
“Working with DomeShelter Australia to erect the dome has been a rewarding experience as our Tyrecycle staff can focus solely on handling and processing these mammoth tyres in a safe and controlled environment.”
This development comes as Tyre Stewardship Australia has focused its light on the mining tyre challenges the country has to face, a topic discussed with TSA’s Lina Goodman in our recent Tyre and Rubber Recycling Podcast.
Fairweather credited the mining industry for its willingness to work with Tyrecycle in driving the charge for more sustainable outcomes for its end-of-life OTR tyres.
“Mining companies recognise the importance of managing their waste streams responsibly, and we’re here to work alongside them to deliver more sustainable outcomes,” he said.
“They know that responsible management of end-of-life tyres is an important part of best practice operations, this new facility means burying these tyres in pit, will soon be a thing of the past.
“The mining sector has been eager for a solution to end-of-life OTR mining tyre management, and with the establishment of this new facility, Tyrecycle is providing them that solution.
“The outcomes our new plant provides are outstanding, we’ll be able to demonstrate significant traceability and chain of custody confidence, along with carbon benefits to our customers as a result of partnering with us for the sustainable management of their tyres and conveyor belts.”
Fairweather believes the new facility will address a significant gap in Australia’s capability of recycling mining tyres.
“We’re collecting OTR tyres at 10 per cent, while mining tyres are only being collected at 1 per cent, so there is a significant shortfall in the market which needs to be addressed,” he said.
“There’s 130,000 tonnes of OTR mining tyres generated every year in Australia and 50,000 tonnes of that is generated in the Pilbara, so if you’re going to build a plant to process these tyres anywhere around the country, you put it in Port Hedland.”
OTR mining tyres will be pre-processed at the Port Hedland facility before being sent to Tyrecycle’s facility in East Rockingham (south of Perth).
Tyrecycle’s East Rockingham site is Australia’s largest and most versatile tyre recycling operation, where OTR mining tyres will be processed into a wide range of products, including crumb rubber, which is used in road development, and our tyre derived fuel, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions by displacing coal as an energy source.
