Turning tyres to treasure with Vortair

July 22nd, 2025

Globally, the issue of tyre waste is substantial and growing. Each year, about one billion tyres reach the end of their lives, contributing to about two per cent of total global solid waste, according to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Tire Industry Project.

Over time, this has led to an estimated four billion waste tyres accumulating in landfills and stockpiles worldwide. In Australia, about 537,000 tonnes of end-of-life passenger, truck, bus, and off-the-road (OTR) tyres, were generated in the 2023–24 financial year.

Tyres can take up to 2000 years to decompose, and improper disposal can result in pollution, fire hazards, and the release of harmful chemicals.

A 2021 report by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Circular Economy Roadmap for Plastics, Glass, Paper and Tyres, found that fragmented regulations, low-value markets for many tyre-derived products, and limited domestic processing capacity, particularly for OTR tyres, hindered recycling.

In the face of these challenges, Australian company Vortair is leading the charge to transform difficult waste streams into valuable products.