Every year, around 1 billion tires reach the end of their useful life worldwide. These wheels, mostly discarded, could be recycled, taking advantage of the recovered materials for other applications. Specifically, tires contain steel and a high amount of organic materials that can be used as a source of fuel to replace coal or biomass or as secondary raw materials in the manufacture of by-products with high added value.
In Europe, Italian scientists are developing a system capable of producing a synthesis fuel gas or " syngas " (a mixture composed mainly of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and dioxide and methane) and silicon carbide from tires. Silicon carbide is useful in the manufacture of ceramic materials and has applications in electronics.
