Innovative waste reduction effort strengthens Ontario’s green economy

KITCHENER/WATERLOO, ON, Sept. 18, 2015 /CNW/ – Today, Tyromer Inc, a company established by the University of Waterloo to commercialize a better way to recycle scrap tire rubber and more importantly, to manage scrap tire waste, announced the opening of its groundbreaking facility, Tyromer Waterloo.

The Tyromer technology invented by Professor Costas Tzoganakis of the Department of Chemical Engineering,University of Waterloo, turns scrap tire rubber into a new, versatile, high quality rubber material – Tyromer-TDP (Tire-Derived Polymer).

Tyromer Waterloo will be the first manufacturer to introduce Tyromer-TDP, and will showcase the potential impact the Tyromer devulcanization technology can have on tire recycling in Ontario, Canada and globally.

“Each year more than 300 million scrap tires are generated in North America. During the average life of a tire, only 20 per cent of the rubber is used, leaving a staggering 10 billion pounds of scrap tires,” said Sam Visaisouk, CEO, Tyromer Inc. “With Tyromer-TDP, there is now a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable solution to the global management of scrap tires.”

“Each year more than 300 million scrap tires are generated in North America”

Tyromer received early financial support from Michelin Development Company, Ontario Centres of Excellenceand University of Waterloo to scale up its technology.

Ontario Tire Stewardship provided a research grant for Tyromer to strategically focus on the devulcanization of scrap tire rubber crumb. AirBoss Rubber Compounding, the second largest custom rubber compounder in North America, provided valuable industry knowledge and helped validate Tyromer-TDP as a viable rubber compound replacement in the manufacture of tires, and provided technical assistance in the construction of the Tyromer Waterloo facility.

Tweet: Each year more than 300 million scrap tires are generated in North America. During the average life of a tire, only 20 per cent of the rubber is used, leaving a staggering 10 billion pounds of scrap tires

Ontario Tire Stewardship provided a research grant for Tyromer to strategically focus on the devulcanization of scrap tire rubber crumb, which allows this high-value recycled material to be used in greater quantities as a replacement for virgin rubber, and in more demanding applications.

OTS is an Industry Funded Organization (IFO) established by Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) to support the development, implementation and operation of the Used Tires Program.

The organization successfully diverts about 12 million tires every year from landfill, with almost 80 million recycled since the program launched in 2009. Since the launch of the program, the tire recycling industry has seen significant growth and maturation—approximately $70 million in new investments and over 200 direct new jobs.

“Tyromer Waterloo Inc. represents the successful collaboration among university, public sector (Ontario Tire Stewardship) and industry (AirBoss Rubber Compounding) in transforming a university invention into a global innovation in scrap tire recycling and resource utilization.”  said Sam Visaisouk