THE NEW TYRE WITH 70% SUSTAINABLE INGREDIENTS

TYRES CAUSE QUITE the headache when it comes to environmentally friendly end-of-life disposal.

- JESSE CROSSE

Part of the problem is that they are made from more than 200 materials, including natural and synthetic rubber fillers like carbon black (traditionally made from crude oil), silica derived from quartz sand, chemical agents, steel and textiles.

The good news is that most of the major players in tyre manufacturing are quickly replacing some of the worst-offending raw materials with more environmentally friendly alternatives. Major brands including Pirelli, Continental, Michelin, Goodyear, Falken and Bridgestone are all now producing tyres that contain a percentage of recycled or sustainable materials.

Two of the main culprits in traditional manufacturing are carbon black and silica, both used as filler (a bit like adding flour to a cake mix) in the tyre sidewalls and tread compounds.