Rubber and plastic products

On a finite planet, the limits to growth will inevitably be reached, and fossil raw materials will not last forever. This means that virgin raw materials must be replaced with recycled raw materials wherever possible. Domestic granulate and rubber powder refined from tyres can replace 25–50 per cent of the raw materials required for a rubber or plastic product.

An increasing share of dwindling raw materials must be replaced through recycling

As natural resources become depleted, more and more consumers are demanding products that are made more responsibly and sustainably. In other words, responsible production is becoming a condition for doing business in manufacturing industry. 

An effective way for companies to achieve this is to use recycled materials. In Finland, one of the pioneers in rubber powder made from tyres is Lenkki Oy, a manufacturer of shoe components based in Kankaanpää.

In 2023, Lenkki began replacing thermoplastic elastomer made from fossil raw materials with rubber powder refined from tyres. The first shoes became available to consumers the following year.

When 30 per cent of the oil-based thermoplastic elastomer required for a shoe sole is replaced with recycled raw material made from tyres, the CO2 emissions from the material and transport decrease by as much as 46 per cent. A significant reason for the reduction is the lower share of primary production and transport. 

Rubber powder is suitable for factory injection moulding

The rubber and plastics industries are actively looking for alternatives to fossil raw materials. Depending on the product, instead of a single winning material, several different circular economy material sources are needed.

Before manufacturing, powder made from tyres is granulated, meaning that it is mixed with the other raw material used by the production facility. The resulting pellets can then be used directly in injection moulding processes at production facilities. 

Domestic recycled raw material can be widely used in the manufacture of various industrial and consumer products.