Tyre Reuse and Recycling: Extending the Life Cycle Beyond Initial Use
The Brussels Proposal, a framework initially established to guide the safe use and recycling of rubber granulate in artificial turf, has been at the centre of discussion recently. The proposal aims to address environmental and health concerns related to recycled tire rubber infill.
Despite ongoing innovation efforts in the sector, such as chemical recycling of synthetic turf materials, these are not necessarily linked directly to the Brussels Proposal. As of August 2025, no official or regulatory update on policy changes, bans, or new guidelines specifically from Brussels or EU authorities has been found in the latest publicly available information.
The sector of recycling used tires is active in over 1,600 homologated sports facilities in Italy. The market for used tires in Europe absorbs around 40% of the recycled rubber granulate produced. Ecopneus, a key player in this sector, has set a goal to achieve sustainability and circular economy objectives in Italy.
However, the market faces a challenge in absorbing and valorizing the annual quantities of recycled rubber produced. To tackle this issue, Ecopneus continues to focus on areas such as asphalts with rubber powder and chemical recycling of used tires.
The Brussels Proposal was approved on April 26 this year. The proposal will be examined and voted on definitively in the Council and European Parliament within the next two months. Ecopneus urges technical and institutional stakeholders to follow their work and support the necessary regulatory and normative interventions.
The sector is expanding, and approximately 5,000 sports facilities in Italy use a technology that includes recycled rubber granulate, with over 1,600 of them being homologated by the Italian Football Federation. The conference titled "The Future of the Country’s Economy: Circular like a Used Tire," promoted by Ecopneus and Unirigom, brought industry experts together to discuss proposals supporting "the future of the circular economy in Italy and a specialized industrial chain present throughout the national territory."
Recently, the transitional period of 8 years for the use of 0.5 mm recycled rubber granulate as infill in synthetic turf sports surfaces has come to an end. The sector has been working for some time to open new alternative fronts, and the new opportunities opened by the technology of pyrolysis are mentioned as potential areas for innovation in the recycling of used tires.
For the most accurate and current status, checking official EU environmental or sports regulatory websites, or contacting Brussels-based environmental bodies, would be recommended.
- The Brussels Proposal, which focuses on the safe use and recycling of rubber granulate in artificial turf, is currently under examination in the Council and European Parliament.
- The environmental-science sector is a significant player in the manufacture and recycling of rubber granulate used in 5,000 sports facilities in Italy, with a focus on sustainability and the circular economy.
- The finance and policy-and-legislation sectors will play a crucial role in addressing the challenges faced by the recycling-tire industry, including the absorption and valorization of annual quantities of recycled rubber.
- In the general-news context, recent developments include the end of the transitional period for 0.5 mm recycled rubber granulate use in synthetic turf sports surfaces, and the potential of pyrolysis technology as a new avenue for innovation in recycling used tires.
