ZC Rubber is one of China’s first tyre companies to start recycling, reusing, and repurposing tyres. The company began its tyre recycling journey in 2005 when it first built its Recycling Technology and Service Center to carry out rubber recycling and reuse tyres. In 2009, ZC Rubber formally established Zhongce Recycling Technology Co., Ltd to take their tyre recycling aspirations to new heights.
ZC Rubber Taking Leading Role in Tyre Recycling in China
For years, ZC Rubber has been in active collaboration with domestic and international research institutions to develop a more sustainable tyre supply chain that minimises the environmental impact of tyres throughout their lifespan. At this moment in time, it has a holistic recycling industrial value chain covering tyre recycling, sorting, retreading, and tyre pyrolysis.
According to its latest press communication, during the past 17 years ZC Rubber has recycled 400,000 tonnes of end-of-life tyres (1.7 million units of tyres), cutting carbon emissions by a total of 510,000 tonnes, which the manufacturer claims as the equivalent of planting 27.87 million trees.
Annual Production of 20,000 Tonnes of Reclaimed Rubber
In collaboration with Nanjing Lvjinren Rubber & Plastic High-tech Co, ZC Rubber has built an automatic reclaimed rubber production line with an annual production capacity of 20,000 tonnes of reclaimed rubber in 2020.
Zhongce Recycling Technology prepared reclaimed rubber with no waste water and no emissions through cutting-edge machinery and an internationally recognised process. Additionally, the energy consumption per tonne is reduced by more than 20% as compared to the conventional method.
In 2022, Zhongce Recycling Technology will build a production line that produces 7,500 tonnes of liquid recycled rubber annually. Liquid recycled rubber can replace more than 98% of the pollutant-prone processing aids, which can significantly improve tyre compound quality and increase tyre life.
Circular Recycling Supply Chain
Through the partnership with Zhejiang University, ZC Rubber is developing a circular recycling supply chain to convert ELTs into high-quality raw materials such as carbon black, pyrolysis oil, gas, or steel.
Within Zhongce Recycling Technology, pyrolysis oil can be used as a fuel oil for manufacturing carbon black production. After thorough processing, pyrolysis carbon black can also be utilised in place of regular carbon black, and pyrolysis gas can produce electricity.
In 2022, ZC Rubber will establish the tyre pyrolysis processing line with a 5,000-tonne annual capacity.
