The tire recycling industry is experiencing explosive growth driven by environmental regulations and circular economy initiatives worldwide.
Global tire recycling market size (2024)
Projected annual growth rate through 2030
Projected market size by 2030
The tire recycling industry is at an inflection point. Governments worldwide are banning tire landfilling and burning, creating massive demand for sustainable disposal solutions. Meanwhile, rising commodity prices make recovered materials increasingly valuable.
**Pyrolysis** is emerging as the preferred technology because it recovers the highest value from waste tires—converting them into diesel fuel, carbon black, and steel rather than just shredding them for low-value applications like playground mulch.
Pennsylvania is an ideal market: 12M+ waste tires annually, strong industrial base for product sales, and supportive regulatory environment. We're positioned to capture this opportunity before competitors enter the state.
Current market price
**45% of tire weight** converts to pyrolysis oil (diesel-equivalent fuel). Primary buyers: industrial heating, marine fuel, asphalt plants.
Current market price
**33% of tire weight** becomes recovered carbon black (rCB). Used in new tires, plastics, rubber products, and industrial applications.
Current scrap steel price
**12% of tire weight** is steel wire extracted during pyrolysis. Sold to scrap metal recyclers for melting and reuse.
Revenue is diversified across three products, reducing exposure to any single commodity price fluctuation. Diesel fuel represents 69% of revenue, carbon black 22%, and steel 9%.
**No pyrolysis facilities currently operate in Pennsylvania.** The state's 12M+ annual waste tires are either shipped out-of-state for processing (expensive) or used in low-value applications like tire-derived fuel (TDF) for cement kilns.
Existing tire recyclers focus on mechanical shredding for mulch, crumb rubber, and TDF. These processes recover less value than pyrolysis and face declining demand as environmental concerns grow around microplastic pollution from tire crumb.
**First-mover advantage**: By establishing Pennsylvania's first pyrolysis facility, we'll secure relationships with tire generators (auto shops, dealerships, fleet operators) before competitors enter the market.
EPA and state regulations increasingly restrict tire landfilling and burning. Pennsylvania's Act 190 promotes tire recycling and provides grants for advanced processing facilities. This regulatory push creates captive demand for our services.
Major tire manufacturers (Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear) have committed to using 40%+ recycled content in new tires by 2030. This creates surging demand for recovered carbon black, our second-largest revenue stream.
Diesel prices remain elevated due to geopolitical factors and refining capacity constraints. Carbon black prices have increased 25% since 2020 driven by supply chain disruptions and growing demand from tire manufacturers.
Tire pyrolysis is no longer experimental—over 200 commercial facilities operate globally with 10+ years of operational history. Equipment vendors offer turnkey solutions with warranties, reducing technology risk.
The tire recycling market is growing rapidly. Pennsylvania has 12M+ waste tires annually and zero pyrolysis facilities. This is our moment.