There Is No Such Thing as Waste – Just Material in the Wrong Place

February 14, 2023  The design of tires and the interaction of the various materials that go into making them are extremely complex. But for some time now, the material experts and tire engineers at Continental have been bringing about a silent revolution. By 2050 at the latest, all tires are to be made of sustainable materials. There is still a long way to go until then. But step by step, it is already becoming apparent which raw materials will find their way into tire construction in the future. These include waste products from agriculture – such as the ash from rice husks – rubber from dandelions, recycled rubber or PET bottles.

November 30, 2022 Continental is fuelling the growth of sustainability in the cruise industry with its upholstery material skai VyP Coffee. Here, the engineers at the company’s surfaces team have developed a method for utilising the leftovers from coffee as a sustainable raw material. The grounds produced during the preparation of coffee are processed and incorporated into the new material. This recycling approach has the benefit of significantly reducing waste and avoiding the emission of greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. Other recycled and natural components are also added to the mix in the production process.

Retreading tyres is a good example of cyclic thinking. And a smart method of reducing costs and ensuring high mileage. At the same time, it contributes to environmentally friendly behaviour.

Circular economy can help to make finite resources infinitely usable, thereby sustainably shaping the economy for the growing and increasingly prosperous world population.