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14th ETRA Conference
Tyre Recycling
Working together towards a recycling society
Wednesday through Friday 21 – 23 March 2007
Crown Plaza Europa Hotel, Brussels |
2007 heralds a new era for the tyre recycling industries. Fundamental changes are being initiated throughout the EU as governments and industry adapt to the revisions in the Directive on Waste, the new context provided by the Them-atic Strategy for the prevention and recycling of waste, and the implementation of the End-of-Life Vehicle Directive. Stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities have been revised and reinterpreted, and new relationships are being built to ensure that the EU commitment for a recycling society will become a reality.
As recycling has become increasingly important, tyre recyclers have worked closely with an expanding range of industries to develop and produce materials for use in a growing array of applications and products. ETRA Working Groups have sponsored definitive research to ensure that tyre recyclates meet the highest performance and environ-mental standards.
Today, tyre recycling is a commercially viable, environmentally sound industry. Collection systems are in place in a majority of the 27 Member States and efforts are being made to improve performance and transparency. Treatment capacity is rapidly growing to meet increasing demands although there are shortages of certain materials. A broad range of applications and products that use recycled tyre materials has entered into the mainstream, and others are undergoing rigorous testing.
Industry sponsored opportunities are available to assist local authorities meet their new responsibilities under the Thematic Strategy, and their commitment to zero landfilling. Tyre recycling helps to achieve the EU commitment :
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“ …. the long term goal is for the EU to become a recycling society, organised around the maximum recovery of materials where this makes environmental and economic sense, and energy recovery where this is more efficient. "
(Thematic Strategy for the prevention and recycling of waste, 2006)."
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Tyre recycling is an excellent tool. Tyre recycling transforms a priority waste stream into a valuable resource by turning it into a broad range of cost-effective materials which can be used in different formats for a wide range of civil engineering, construction and rehabilitation applications as well as in sports fields and play surfaces and an increasingly large assortment of industrial and consumer products. Tyre recycling assists local government author-ities to fulfill their commitment to Green Public Procurement.
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PANEL 1 : Towards a recycling society
The revised Framework Directive on Waste and commitment to a recycling society have refocused EU goals for the long-term – from Parliament, the Commission to the Member States. Representatives will discuss some of the ways in which these changes will impact on European recycling industries and local communities.
Discussion : What changes are imminent – how will they cascade to industry?
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PANEL 2 : The European Recycling Coalition - Today and the Future
ERC represents recycling industries in EU discussions on waste policy, stressing the need for an appropriate recycl-ing legislative framework. Subsequent to the revisions in the Framework Directive on waste, new issues are emerg-ing – including the potential for legislation specifically concerning tyres. This panel opens the dialogue between government, industry and other interested parties.
Discussion : How can industry strengthen its presence ?
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PANEL 3 : Artificial Turf - A definitive study of environmental capacity
The results of the ETRA study on the environmental capacity of recycled tyre granulate used for indoor and outdoor sport surfaces will be discussed. Speakers will include the research team that undertook the study, as well as the granulate producers who contributed materials for installation. The results will be compared with other studies that have been undertaken in the EU and elsewhere.
Discussion : Closing the loop – the importance of this study within the context of other research – setting the parameters.
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PANEL 4 : Artificial Turf - Technical capacity
The production and installation of artificial turf has become a major user of recycled tyre materials. Not only are surfaces made from these materials environmentally effective, but they have been shown to have excellent play and use characteristics. The technical capacity of the materials and the surfaces themselves have been shown to be superior to many natural installations in many ways.
Discussion : How the industry is strengthening its presence.
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PANEL 5 : Technology Forum
The forum opens the floor to delegates to discuss innovations they have introduced and the issues/obstacles they have overcome along the way. Many technologies which are currently entering into the mainstream were first introduced during these sessions.
Discussion : What is needed and what is on the drawing board. How recyclers can meet growing demands with new and evolving materials and applications.
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PANEL 6 : Innovative Civil engineering applications
The range of innovative civil engineering application has expanded during the past decade to include the unusual as well as the commonplace – the material being the most unique aspect. Presentations include the use of recycled tyre materials in public venues such as train, trams and road installations for vibration and noise abatement, in shoe soles and flooring materials to improve comfort, and in automotive products as well.
Discussion : Applications and products entering the mainstream through mutual development - becoming involved.
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PANEL 7 : New product development and use
The range of recycled tyre materials and the different types of products and applications that use them has increased more than tenfold in the past decade. The EU has funded over 50 projects – three of which currently involve ETRA and ETRA members.
Discussion : Applications and products entering the mainstream through mutual development - becoming involved.
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PANEL 8 : Material standards - their role in a recycling society
Industry standards are increasingly important for materials derived from waste. The EU is preparing criteria for ‘end of waste’ materials and products, which could rely upon existing standards.
Discussion : The role of SMEs in developing standards for their industry.
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RECYCLERS’ ROUND TABLE
Recyclers’ concerns for the future. Questions will be raised and discussed by the delegates, with the participation of some of the speakers and invited guests. Issues such as the potential for new legislation, end of waste standards, the implications of a recycling society for tyre recyclers.
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to know more about this ETRA Conference visit
http://www.wastexchange.co.uk/events/etra2007.htm |
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