Everything You Need to Know About Sustainability in the Tire Industry

Approximately 120 million electric vehicles will be on the road in the U.S., China and the European Union by 2030, moving us closer to a net-zero transportation future, according to research from McKinsey & Co. Still, electric and gasoline-powered vehicles have one thing in common: They need tires. 

Made from natural and synthetic rubber, metal, and other materials, tires help make transportation and logistics possible—from personal and municipal vehicles to long-haul trucks and earthmoving equipment. We currently have no alternative for tires, making it all the more important to address sustainability challenges within their lifecycle. 

Since 2005, global tire manufacturers have come together under the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Tire Industry Project (TIP) to research any potential human health and environmental impacts associated with tires through their lifecycle. In this series sponsored by TIP, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most important challenges within the tire lifecycle and how industry is collaborating with other stakeholders on solutions. 

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Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

European Tire Industry Addresses Environmental Impact Down to the Smallest Particle
Tires have been part of our world in one form or another for over 700 years, transporting carriages in the Renaissance era to electric cars, today.

Research, Reports & Publications

Science Driven: The Importance of Credible, Validated Research
When it comes to scientific research, there are internationally recognized processes that provide confidence in research findings.

Research, Reports & Publications

The U.S. Tire Industry Seeks to Better Understand and Mitigate Road Wear Particles
In addition to supporting a vehicle’s weight, absorbing impacts and withstanding weather conditions, tires are a car’s only connection to the road — and as such are essential to vehicle safety and performance.

Sustainable Development Goals

Standardized Key Performance Indicators Help the Tire Sector Support the SDGs
When most people hear about the auto industry and environmental issues, they think of electric vehicles or tailpipe standards. Tires are often left out of the conversation, but the industry is proactively working to change that.

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Next Stop for the Tire Industry: The Circular Economy
Tires may not be the first commodity that comes to mind when imagining a circular economy.

Sustainable Development Goals

Tire Manufacturers Collaborate to Accelerate Progress on the SDGs
Following on the heels of the forest, chemical, electric utilities, and oil and gas industries, the tire sector is the latest to come together under the auspices of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to develop a roadmap for how it can work to support the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Supply Chain & the Circular Economy

Rubber Industry Platform Aims to Halt Deforestation, Protect Human Rights
Palm oil, cocoa, soy, bananas … and rubber? Despite a lower profile, natural rubber is a widely traded tropical global commodity.

Environment

Tire Particles: Looking at The Big Picture Through (Very Small) Particles
As public concern over environmental pollution evolves and focuses on new areas, businesses continue to seek solutions. Some aspects of the problem, like cutting down on disposable plastic bottles or reducing emissions, have been studied extensively.

Responsible Production & Consumption

Re-Inventing the Wheel: How CEOs Are Driving the Sustainable Tire of the Future
With the potential for rising demand — and corresponding impacts — in mind, back in 2005 a group of leading tire company CEOs set out to study a range of tire lifecycle issues on an organized basis.

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