As urbanisation and the number of vehicles on our roads continue to grow, so to does the volumes of end-of-life tyres (ELT). The WBCSD Tyre Industry Project (TIP) – a voluntary, CEO-led initiative undertaken by 11 leading tyre companies estimated that one billion tyres reach the end of their useful lives annually. Over 80 percent of these (about 233 million tyres) are reused or recycled in some way. About 130 million tyres are used annually as tyre-derived fuel (TDF), making TDF the single biggest use for old tires.
Energy recovery can be a particularly efficient way to deal with high volumes of ELT and eliminate long-standing stockpiles because it is generally technically straightforward to implement and can be deployed on a large scale to achieve relatively quick pay-back for the initial investment. TDF offers a realistic cost-efficient alternative to fossil fuels and can increase the profits of a number of major industries such as cement producers, paper mills and energy utilities. When burned, tyres generate the same amount of energy as oil; 25%–50% more energy than coal, and 100%–200% more energy than wood. 
The range of twin shaft, high torque shredders available from EDGE Innovate can offer waste operators an efficient solution for processing of ELTs. The company offers various shredding chamber configurations that allow them to be utilised either for primary shredding or for precise secondary shredding, ensuring a homogeneous particle size that satisfies consumer specifications.
EDGE Innovate has proven experience of shredding tyres. In 2019, the company installed a fleet of customised Slayer XL, slow speed, high torque shredders in Oman. Each shredder processes up to 500 tyres per hour to a final piece size of minus 150mm. Up to 90% of the ferrous metal found in the tyres processed is also recovered thanks to an adjustable overband magnet found on the EDGE Slayer XL model. At the current processing rate, the company says, one EDGE Slayer XL has the potential to shred up to 960,000 tyres annually.
The company recently launched a new high capacity shredder at CONEXPO 2020. The new EDGE VS420 is a high torque twin shaft shredder that is ideal for the processing of a large array of materials including green waste, MSW, C&D waste, biomass, and ELTs. The company’s next generation shredder is said to have been developed for ultimate versatility and high resistance to contaminants with several customisable shredding programmes and chamber configurations available. According to EDGE, it is an “intelligent operating system” which incorporates tramp metal protection provides maximum security from contaminants and prevents asset damage. “Our shredder range has been designed for the most rugged and toughest of jobs in the recycling industry. With a solid robust chassis and huge torque, the Edge shredder range is the ideal shredding aid for the recovery and repurposing of used tyres and rubber.”
For more information on Edge’s range of next generation shredders please visit: https://focusenviro.com.au/products/slayer-xl/