SEOUL, South Korea — Hankook Tire and Technology Co. Ltd. has begun mass producing tires with three types of ISCC-Plus certified carbon black. These products, derived from end-of-life tire pyrolysis oil, were developed through the Tire-to-Tire Circular Economy Model consortium.
The consortium, launched by Hankook roughly one year ago, focuses on the development of sustainable materials for mass production and brings together more than a dozen companies and institutions. The aim, the tire maker said, is to create a model for producing more sustainable, circular tires in South Korea.
For the recovered carbon black, Hankook partnered with HD Hyundai Oilbank and HD Hyundai OCI. The companies used the mass balance approach to achieve the ISCC-Plus certification.
"This collaboration contributes not only to the transition of the tire industry toward a circular economy by replacing existing petrochemical-based raw materials with circular materials, but also helps reduce reliance on petroleum resources, conserving natural resources and lowering carbon emissions," Hankook said in a statement.
The company did not specify which tire models use the recovered carbon black.
These steps are critical for the tire maker, which is eyeing 100 percent sustainable materials usage in its tires by 2050. The consortium offers the tire maker the opportunity to focus those efforts in part of the development of a carbon black made with 100 percent pyrolysis oil.
Hankook is fully committed to greater sustainability throughout its manufacturing processes. Already, two of the company's plants—one in Geumsan, South Korea, and another in Hungary—have been certified at ISCC-Plus facilities.
The tire maker intends to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and has aligned its aims with the Science Based Target Initiative to achieve this aim.
