We at Continental are continuously increase the proportion of more sustainable materials in our tires. By 2030 we aim to have in our tires over 40 percent renewable and recycled materials.
To gradually increase the share of renewable and recycled raw materials in our products, we use among other things the internationally recognized mass balance approach. In the mass balance, renewable and recycled raw materials are mixed with fossil materials in existing production processes. The respective material quantities are documented and transparently reported.
This enables us to quantify the share of renewable and recycled materials in our production process at any time throughout the entire supply chain and to mathematically allocate this share to different end products.
We have this process certified by internationally recognized organizations. Here, our documentation processes and the complete traceability of the materials from more sustainable sources are verified.
Our Ambition: 100 Percent Sustainable Materials by 2050.
Die International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) was established in 2010 as part of a multi-stakeholder initiative and is a globally applicable and leading certification system aimed at promoting a traceable, sustainable, deforestation-free and climate-friendly supply chain. ISCC certifications are widely recognized and encompass sustainable agricultural biomass, biogenic waste and residues, non-biological renewable materials, and recycled carbon-based materials. The development and implementation of various certification standards is ISCC's tool for furthering its mission to mitigate climate change and bring greater traceability to global markets and supply chains.
ISCC PLUS enables us to tackle the transition to a circular economy and a sustainable bioeconomy
Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental
The UltraContact NXT is the first production tire from Continental to use mass balance-certified materials. These include synthetic rubber made from bio-based and bio-circular raw materials, as well as carbon black, which is partially made from (bio-)circular oil. In the production of synthetic rubber, the butadiene derived from petroleum can be replaced by bio-based and bio-circular raw materials, enabling a more environmentally friendly tire production. During the pyrolysis of used tires, oil, gas, and carbon are recovered. The resulting oil is already used today for the production of carbon black.
For more information about this tire, please refer to our press release or the product section.
Our goal is to gradually extend the mass balance approach to all our tire plants worldwide. The globally recognized certification confirms our compliance with specific sustainability standards and ensures transparency in the traceability of the raw materials used in the production process. By certifying the raw materials, we can ensure complete traceability of materials from sustainable sources. This is another step towards 100 percent sustainable materials in our tire products by 2050.
In addition to our Portuguese tire plant in Lousado, our plants in Hefei, China, in Púchov, Slovakia, and in Korbach, Germany are already ISCC PLUS-certified production sites.
