INTERVIEW: Chemical recycler Pyrum eyes tire potential as chemical recycling feedstock

German chemical recycler Pyrum Innovations AG is positioning its thermolysis technology, which converts waste tires into oil, gas, and carbon black, as a more reliable feedstock source than mixed plastic waste recycling, as the company expands supply agreements with chemical giant BASF and pursues aggressive capacity expansion plans.

In an interview with S&P Global Energy, its CEO Pascal Klein highlighted that the thermolysis oil produced is REACH-certified and can be utilized as a raw material in the chemical and plastics industries.

The process yields approximately 10 litres of oil per four recycled tires. BASF has significantly increased its offtake framework with Pyrum, reflecting a growing trust in the technology. Pyrum has supplied between 1,500 mt and 2,000 mt of thermolysis oil to BASF, which has incorporated it into products like vehicle components and outdoor clothing.

Small production scale of carbon black

In addition to oil, Pyrum is also commercializing chemically recycled carbon black, a byproduct of its thermolysis process.

While currently producing 50 mt per month, this output is fully utilized by tire producer Schwable. Pyrum's carbon black is competitive due to its lower temperature difference in the process, allowing for a consistent chemical composition that makes it suitable for tire production.

Thermolysis process

Pyrum's patented process involves thermal decomposition of used tires in the absence of oxygen, producing thermolysis oil, permanent gas, recovered carbon black (rCB), and steel.

The Dillingen plant can process 3 mt of tires per hour, producing 2,100 kilograms per hour of rubber that is fed into a vertical reactor to generate end-products.

According to Pascal Klein, Pyrum technology has "no moving parts in the reactor", which ensures that there is no oxygen in the thermolysis process. Pascal highlighted "tiny temperature range of delta less than 50 degrees Celsius," making the Pyrum thermolysis process "very stable."

Pyrum is navigating an increasingly challenging landscape in the global chemical recycling industry. In the US and Europe, the chemical recycling sector faces challenges as major petrochemical producers rationalize production capacities in response to market conditions, and demand for advanced recycling feedstock is expected to adjust.

The company is actively seeking financing for its ambitious expansion plans, including a new 22,400 mt/year tire recycling plant in Perl-Besch, Germany, set to begin construction soon. Pyrum is also collaborating with Czech companies to establish another facility, further solidifying its position in the recycling market.