Siemens technology supports a revolutionary recycling process

Preventing climate catastrophe is one of mankind’s greatest tasks. We all know that time is pressing. As one of the main producers of CO₂, the manufacturing industry has a special responsibility in this regard – especially the process industries.

In view of this pressing challenge, we at Siemens are encouraged by the extent to which technological innovations will help us create a more sustainable economy in the future – and thus preserve our planet.

The problem of old tires

One example of this is Pyrum Innovations, a company based in Saarland, Germany. The company has developed a solution that aims to solve the global tire waste problem with a patented pyrolysis solution that converts rubber into high-value products such as oil, carbon and gas.

Why are used tires a problem? In Germany alone, scrap tires generate more than 600,000 metric tons of waste, according to federal authorities and industry associations – and the figure is rising. Apart from the enormous amounts of waste generated by scrap tires, valuable raw materials are also lost with them. After all, a modern tire is a high-tech product – a mixture of rubber, textiles and steel.

A further step towards a circular economy

With the process developed by Pyrum Innovations, important primary materials can be extracted from the scrap tires, which in turn can be reused in industry. The need for conventionally mined fossil raw materials is thus reduced and promises great potential for the planned decarbonization of industry. The recycling process itself is also green. This is because the gas obtained in this way is also used to generate the process energy required for this operation, which ensures that Pyrum Innovations’ plant is self-sufficient and CO₂-neutral. Only the start-up process requires external energy. Raw materials obtained in this way are officially recognized as such and are also certified as sustainable and renewable. The result is an important contribution to a true circular economy.

Pyrum Innovations relies on Siemens

At Siemens, we are pleased to support Pyrum Innovations in the future with our products and solutions for the best possible recycling process. In doing so, we play to the strengths of our entire automation portfolio, from the state-of-the-art Simatic PCS Neo process control system to our intelligent measuring instruments. With our offering, we are effectively contributing to the establishment of a new type of raw material that can be used as a substitute for fossil fuels – an important step on the road to combating climate catastrophe.