Apollo Tyres develops tyres with 75% green materials; what does it mean for tyre wear pollution?

According to data provided by the Central Pollution Control Board in India, almost 3 lakh tyres are discarded annually in India. The fact that we don't have a plan at the end of this life cycle for them is tragic enough, and it certainly doesn't help that car tyres are a leading environmental polluter as well.

However, Apollo Tyres may have just taken a crucial step to lead by example. According to a recent company report, the leading tyre manufacturer has developed a way to incorporate sustainable and recycled materials into new tyres so that as much as 75% of the tyre is made of these green materials.

Penned 'Agriculture tyres', these feature recycled rubber, sustainable carbon black from end-of-life tyres, bio-based oil, recycled nylon and bead wires, which are used as reinforcing frameworks in tyres. In addition, the company claims to have sourced sustainable natural rubber from trusted, traceable suppliers who have made public green commitments.

"This is a big milestone in the sustainability journey of Apollo Tyres," notes P K Mohamed, R&D Chief Advisor. "Being the early movers in this space, especially in India, and with investments in R&D and Manufacturing towards achieving the 40% sustainable material target by 2030, we have been able to develop this tyre with 75% sustainable materials, which is now being tested extensively before being commercialised."

Eco-friendly tyres are the need of the hour, especially considering tyres are a significant determiner of fuel consumption in automobiles. Shockingly, a study by Emissions Analytics had also shown that tyre particles that enter the air due to wear while driving is hazardous, producing a thousand times more pollutants than from car exhaust pipes.

These tyre particles pollute air, water and soil and contain harmful carcinogens. Since electric vehicles are typically heavier than fossil fuel-powered cars, EVs could potentially generate more tyre particles despite being the "cleaner" alternative. These issues must be vastly included in developing the new generation of green tyres.

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