The current assessment by the WDK paints an alarming picture: around 100,000 tonnes of old tyres are missing from the official German balance sheet in 2024. These quantities are increasingly disappearing through opaque channels and are being shipped in tonnes to third countries – with high CO₂ emissions due to long sea transport, questionable recycling, often in Asia and North Africa, and fatal consequences for our domestic circular economy.
What is missing here is missing everywhere
If end-of-life tires do not remain in the country, the value chain breaks down at central points:
- Recycling material for playgrounds? Not possible.
- Sports facility flooring? Raw material shortage.
- Fall protection surfaces for nurseries and schools? Hardly affordable or not at all feasible.
If recycled raw materials are missing, new materials must be produced – which is energy-intensive, expensive, and significantly worse for the environment. Ultimately, clubs, cities, municipalities, and each and every one of us bear the costs. At the same time, jobs in German recycling plants are coming under pressure because the raw material itself is simply no longer available.
Used tyres are not waste – they are a valuable raw material
Used tyres are an important secondary raw material for numerous applications. However, instead of recycling them in Germany and keeping them in the circular economy, some are being wasted abroad. This not only harms the environment but also weakens the innovative strength and sustainability performance of our own industry.
The solution: Disposal only via BRV-certified disposal companies
Only car tyre disposal companies certified by the BRV guarantee that old tyres are collected in a proper manner, professionally sorted, and recycled as a high-quality raw material in Germany. This ensures that:
- CO₂ emissions reduced,
- regional economic cycles strengthened,
- Jobs secured,
- sustainable products such as playground surfacing, fall protection or sports flooring continue to be possible.
Our clear appeal: Used tyres belong in the recycling loop – not as waste abroad.
Those who dispose of waste correctly today protect the environment, relieve local authorities, and secure the raw material base for tomorrow.