SINGAPORE (Reuters) - International trade in waste tyres has almost doubled in the past five years, according to data provided by customs departments to the United Nations, generating millions of dollars in business across the supply chain.
The biggest, and fastest growing, trading route is from Britain to India, where authorities are increasingly worried about the dirty business of turning waste rubber into oil - a process called pyrolysis.
Reuters has interviewed dozens of players in the waste tyre business in India, Malaysia, Britain, Singapore and Dubai - including garages, collectors, exporters and end users - to find out who makes money from waste tyres.
In Britain, the largest exporter of waste tyres, garages charge motorists around 2 pounds ($2.50) to take away their tyres, and then, in turn, pay collectors around 1 pound to take them off their hands.
Once collected, the tyres are bound into bales, which allows about 3,000 to be squeezed into a 40-foot shipping container, ready for export. The baled tyres are sold to exporters at around 260 pounds per container.
Exporters then arrange sales to Indian importers. While their margins are slim - around 60 pounds per container - these firms ship hundreds of containers every month.
Importers in places like India and Malaysia told Reuters they pay between $1,500-$2,500 per container of tyres, around 75 percent of which is the shipping cost.
Once in India, the tyres are dispersed between recyclers who shred them for use in road-building or sports fields, firms that burn them as cheap fuel to make cement or bricks, and pyrolysis operations that turn the waste rubber into low-quality oil, carbon black and scrap metal.
For each container of tyres, backyard pyrolysis operations can make around $2,500 worth of oil, $300 of steel scrap and $200 of carbon black, according to plant operators. That means a profit of between $500 to $1,500 per container.
Given that rudimentary Chinese-made pyrolysis machines can be bought for as little as $30,000, backyard businesses can quickly make back their money.
The problem is that the cheap machines are also highly polluting. More sophisticated equipment that limit emissions and waste can cost ten times more in India, according to local authorities.
(Reporting by John Geddie and Joe Brock)
He was sentenced to five consecutive life terms plus 60 years.
He ended his speech praising the National Rifle Association with his trademark "dance" step.
The 293-foot cruise ship had three decks, 85 cabins with en-suite bathrooms, a swimming pool, and a lot of issues when Chris Willson bought it.
Cubs shortstop Andrelton Simmons filled in at pitcher during a lopsided loss to the Reds, and he served up a leisurely lob to the Reds' Kyle Farmer.
Terry WyattLee Greenwood, the staple of Trump rallies and the most prominent musician to pull out the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting in Texas, told Fox News on Friday that his conscience would not allow him to perform at the event in the wake of the Uvalde school shooting.Greenwood directly cited the massacre that left 19 children and two adults dead as the cause of his last-minute pang of conscience.During an appearance on Fox & Friends on Friday, Greenwood added: “For me to go and
A one minute and forty second sequence in which a shirtless Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, and Rick Rossovich face off to Kenny Loggins’ “Playing With The Boys.”
"There is a victim of domestic abuse in this courtroom, and it is not Ms. Heard," Camille Vasquez said
Draymond Green thought it was "baffling" and a "competitive advantage" that Theo Pinson and the Mavericks' bench were able to wear and mimic the color of the Warriors' jerseys on the bench without receiving stricter punishment.
It wasn’t in the script. Kevin Costner went on social media to pay tribute to his Field of Dreams co-star Ray Liotta, who died today at 67. The Oscar winner, who tried out for his Cal State Fullerton team and went on to star in several baseball-themed movies, recalled the scene when his Ray Kinsella pitches […]
On Thursday night, the Curry family had plenty to celebrate as the Warriors advanced to the NBA Finals.
"Sit down, Chuck," TNT colleague Kenny Smith told Barkley when the feud appeared to take a serious turn.
Mark Cuban said he meant no disrespect to the fans at Chase Center.
Sergio Cossio made a statement in the Lux Fight League 22 main event Thursday in Mexico.
Police believe the propped-open door was used by the gunman to enter Robb Elementary School on Tuesday.
VALENTYNA ROMANENKO - FRIDAY, 27 MAY 2022, 23:20 During the 24 hours of 27 May, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed three Russian air targets and a company-tactical group of the Russian army. Source: Yurii Ihnat, Spokesman of Air Force Command Details: According to the results of the day, the following were hit: Su-35 jet Ka-52 helicopter Orlan-10 UAV a company-tactical group.
Since being caught on camera living in the moment, Michelob Ultra has offered Mark Radetic "a copious amount of beer."
The former Chiefs running back made pointed remarks about KC’s offensive coordinator, but Andy Reid offered up a defense.
While it appeared Jason Kidd was taking a shot at the Warriors' zone defense, on Thursday, he said it was directed at his team.
The four children of Irma and Joe Garcia turned to their faith and community as they attended mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Uvalde, Texas, Thursday night. Cristian, Jose, Lyliana and Alysandra Garcia were embraced by Rev. Eduardo Morales and parishioners. Irma was one of two teachers killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde on Tuesday.
DENYS KARLOVSKYI - FRIDAY, 27 MAY 2022, 16:57 The Security Service of Ukraine has intercepted telephone conversations between Russian commanders in which they complain about their subordinates refusing to go on the offensive.