Ragn-Sells, Inrigo invest in tire recycling technology

Environmental company Ragn-Sells and technology developer Inrigo AS, both based in Norway, are mutually investing in technology capable of recovering raw materials from rubber in used tires.

Ragn-Sells says the venture springs from its commitment to leading the circular transition.

“If we are serious about building a sustainable society, we must use the resources we have already extracted, over and over again,” says Pål Hansen, CEO at Ragn-Sells Dekkgjenvinning AS. “In this case, we are developing advanced technology with the aim to enable tire manufacturers to replace virgin oil with recycled raw materials.”

Ragn-Sells says pyrolysis technology makes it possible to break down tire rubber into reusable raw materials, allowing them to replace fossil fuel alternatives in manufacturing as well as the climate-intensive practice of incinerating disused tires. The raw materials extracted also can be used in asphalt, for example.

“Ragn-Sells has committed to providing circular solutions ensuring that a minimum of 2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions is prevented as early as 2030,” Hansen says. “Putting recycled resources from worn out tires back on the market is an important step toward this goal.”

According to Ragn-Sells, every year, around 140,000 tons of tires no longer in use are collected in Sweden and Norway and typically are incinerated to provide energy for cement production. For this reason, the company says investing more in pyrolysis technology has the potential to save large emissions.

“Only together with our partners can we create the best circular solutions,” Hansen says. “The collaboration with Inrigo will enable us to make use of waste in a sector where material recycling has previously been a challenge.”

The partnership between Ragn-Sells and Inrigo currently is in a pilot stage and gradually will be scaled up in the next year. The project has received a grant from Innovasjon Norge, or Innovation Norway, the country’s governmental program for supporting sustainable growth and innovation.

Inrigo develops and delivers technology and facilities for purification of drinking water, wastewater treatment and renewable environmental and energy solutions for the global market. The company was established in 2008 and has a subsidiary in Cameroon, as well as a sales office in the U.S.