During the Tyres and Rubber Committee session on October 28 at the BIR Convention in Bangkok, Thailand, Committee Chairman Max Craipeau of Greencore Resources Pte Ltd (Hong Kong) noted that recycling rubber from tyres and other products is far more complex than processing metals or plastics.
Replacing one tons of virgin or primary material with an equivalent amount of recycled rubber remains extremely challenging. As a result, strong ESG-driven brand commitments are essential. Companies must be able to communicate the value of incorporating recycled materials and leverage that value to offset the additional costs associated with their use.
Mr. Craipeau noted that brands need to accept paying a premium over virgin materials in order to demonstrate to customers their commitment to environmental stewardship and to ensuring their products do not ultimately end up in landfill.
The first speaker in this session was Asmipudin Mohd Ali Jinnah, CEO of Bridge Fields Resources (Malaysia). The firm began rubber recycling in Ipoh in 2004 and relocated its large-scale facility to Lasa in 2010. It holds patents for a non-toxic, low-temperature rubber recycling technology and, in 2019, developed a method for recycling nitrile gloves.
Bridge Fields Resources produces “White Latex Reclaim” and “Black Latex Reclaim” from collected latex, as well as a hybrid material that combines latex with tire rubber. The company also recovers synthetic rubber from nitrile, butyl, and EPDM latex. These reclaimed materials are used in products such as shoe soles and mats, and once ground, can be applied in sports facilities and playground surfaces. At the end of their usable life, the materials are retrieved for pyrolysis to extract oil.
Jinnah emphasized that certifications such as ISO, ISCC, GRS, and Cert B are essential for demonstrating sustainability. With Malaysia set to mandate ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) disclosures by 2030, he noted that transparency and third-party certification will become indispensable.
Anansinee Thaboon, Founder of Greenergy One (Thailand), outlined her company’s strategy of recovering recovered carbon black (rCB) from end-of-life tyres and enhancing it with graphene to create high-value materials for battery manufacturers.
She explained that used tyres are sourced from manufacturers, dealers, the logistics sector and local communities. After collection, the tyres are sorted, dried, cleaned and shredded before undergoing pyrolysis, which produces refined rCB. Graphene, in parallel, is synthesized from methane and biogas.
According to Ms. Thaboon, rCB on its own has relatively low value, but it’s worth doubles once it is purified. When combined with graphene to create a composite material, its commercial value increases significantly, making it highly attractive to OEMs. At present, Thai customers primarily use the company’s carbon black in coatings, inks, plastics and technical rubber applications. She added that the composite material is expected to play an important role in the electric vehicle sector in the future.
During the panel session, Faisal Al Sharif of Al Sharif Metal Enterprises (UAE) joined the discussion to examine opportunities for deploying these technologies in Middle Eastern markets. Mr. Craipeau observed that end-of-life tyres have traditionally been used for waste-to-energy applications or as infill for artificial turf, although both uses are facing growing scrutiny in Europe and the United States due to environmental concerns. He noted that the Middle East, where billions of tyres are stockpiled, could benefit from alternative recycling pathways that offer more sustainable, long-term solutions.
Mr. Al Sharif acknowledged that rubber recycling has received limited attention in the region because of the abundant availability of virgin oil. Nevertheless, he stated that emerging recycling technologies represent a promising opportunity for Gulf countries to adopt more advanced and innovative practices.
Turning to circularity in rubber products, Mr. Asmipudin Mohd Ali Jinnah stressed the importance of product design, particularly in the footwear sector. He explained that the mass production of low-cost shoes inevitably leads to waste-management challenges, whereas higher-quality design enables materials to be reused. Plastics and metals in footwear can be melted and recycled, but rubber soles cannot be processed in the same manner because they are cross-linked through vulcanization. Mr. Jinnah added that removing these sulphury bonds through devulcanization makes it possible to regenerate soles into reusable rubber material.
Mr. Jinnah also reiterated his company’s commitment to transparency and third-party certification when supplying sustainable materials to global brands. The company counts Timberland—whose footwear incorporates up to 54% recycled latex—and Decathlon— which uses recycled rubber in its shoe soles—among its clients. He underscored that ensuring rubber is sourced from ethical supply chains, free from risks such as child labor or illegal labor practices, is essential to safeguarding brand integrity.
Overall, the conference underscored the increasing importance of material substitution, circular-economy approaches and certification frameworks in strengthening ESG performance. Discussions highlighted the need to improve traceability, enhance quality control and develop higher-value recycling solutions. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to advancing sustainable manufacturing through greater transparency, ethical sourcing, process optimization, data-driven operations and deeper collaboration with brand partners.
Following the conclusion of the panel discussion, the IRuniverse editorial team conducted a direct interview with Anansinee Thaboon, Founder of Greenergy One (Thailand). In Japan, tyre chips derived from end-of-life tyres are currently being used as an alternative fuel to coal, with demand increasing for power generation and heat applications due to their high calorific value. Some companies are even developing tyre-chip processing as an independent business.
In contrast, as the price of end-of-life tyres continues to rise in Thailand, Greenergy One has positioned the production and sale of recovered carbon black (rCB) from waste tyres as its core business. Thaboon explained that securing profitability through rCB has become the company’s primary focus. rCB, which is recovered from waste tyres and plastics, is widely reused as a reinforcing material in rubber and resin applications. She also welcomed the fact that the tyre-chip market in Japan has already matured and expressed interest in exploring opportunities within that market.
The utilization of tyre chips and recycled carbon black is increasingly recognized as a sustainable approach that enhances energy efficiency while reducing waste. As circular recycling practices continue to expand across Asian markets, momentum is building for business models that balance profitability with environmental responsibility.
（IRuniverse Midori Fushimi）
