240.140 ELT tons collected and treated
30.108 ELT generation points registered by December 31st
100.805 collection requests received and completed
78.200 missions performed by vehicles
77 collecting companies active on all domestic territory
40 treatment, recycling, and recovery plants
46 disservice complaints
These are the numbers presented by Ecopneus, that in 2012, thanks to an efficient and widespread network of partners, exceeded once again the target set for End-of-Life-Tyres’ (ELT) management, as set forth in the Ministerial Decree of April 11th, 2011, no. 82.
The system’s efficiency is well explained by the comparison of two data: 46 disservice complaints, versus 100.800 collection requests, represent 0,04% of total. Only one request out of 2.000 resulted to be problematic in the complex collection and treatment activity.
A transparent and virtuous process
Every year about 350.000 tons of tyres reach the end of their lives in Italy. Of these, Ecopneus manages nearly 80%: an important responsibility, entailing the coordination of the free-of-charge ELT collection operations at waste generation points (tyre dealers, mechanics, service stations, etc.), the treatment up to the real recovery, and flows monitoring and tracing.
ELT derived materials and their applications
A virtuous process whose effects start from public health and environmental protection, and spread to the possibility of using to the best this precious material with numerous and interesting uses.
The applications of ELT derived materials extend in different fields: sports surfaces (football fields, athletics tracks, basket and volleyball fields, equestrian surfaces); road asphalts with modified bitumen to obtain long-lasting roads, weatherproof, less noisy, more draining in case of rain; curbs, traffic separators, speed humps, in our cities, added to protection panels for flower boxes, roundabouts, traffic islands; insulating materials used in building works, as thermoinsulating and soundproofing material in walls and floors.
Environmental commitment: collection from old stocks
During 2012, with no interference in the daily management of ELTs generated in the replacement market, Ecopneus accomplished another important goal: remove and recover over 14.000 ELT tons abandoned in the warehouse and the service area of a company, now bankrupt, who had started a recovery activity.
In fact, there exists a wide number of sites subject to ELTs accumulation, called “old stocks”, and distributed all over the country. Ecopneus is taking on this past heritage in a deterined manner. The Decree regulating the activities of tyres producers and importers, individually or in associated form, foresees that every year 30% of management surplus be allocated to withdrawals from old stocks, besides further interventions that can be carried out after that daily management of what results from tyers replacement is guaranteed. During 2012, Ecopneus carried out 4 extraordinary collections from 4 sites in the cities of Ferrara, Oristano, Olbia, and Buccino, removing over 14.000 ELT tons. These interventions, completely funded by Ecopneus, allowed to secure the sites, preventing risks of fires, as well as the spread of diseases due to the proliferation of insects, settled over the years in abandoned tyres; eventually, the correct ELTs recovery.
Giovanni Corbetta, Ecopneus’ Managing Director
The results obtained last year show the effectiveness and efficacy of the system – Giovanni Corbetta, Ecopneus’ Managing Director stated -. Now our goal is to develop in a short time period a complete ELT recovery, at the same time contributing, with research and testing activities, to the creation of conditions suitable for the development of a modern recovery industry for these materials in Italy. We strongly believe –Corbetta cocluded – that the use of secondary raw materials obtained from ELT’s treatment into products intended for sectors such as security, roads, and sport could represent the driving force for the development of a “green” market, and the birth of a true recycle society in Italy.
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