Canty firm to turn tyres into ‘green’ diesel

Up to 1.5 million tyres a year could be turned into diesel by a Christchurch company.

About 5 million tyres reach the end of their lives each year in this country, with most going to landfill or exported as waste.

But Eneform spokesman Andrew Simcox said the company, which has a plant in Rolleston, was aiming to change that.

They anticipate being able to start processing plastic from the South Island’s 1.5 million end-of-life tyres next year, and would work on expansion to eventually take all of the end-of-life tyres in the country, he said.

‘‘We see tyres and plastic as a valuable resource, rather than something to be disposed of.’’

The company’s operation was continuous and could run 24/7 – the first commercial-size plant of its kind in New Zealand, he said.

Plans to burn tyres have been in the works for seven years, he said. Local and national tyre collectors were on board with the plan.

‘‘We already have agreements and partnerships in place with local collectors in the South Island, including Tyre Collection Services and Waste Management, to accept required volumes of chipped end-oflife tyres which, when processed, produces valuable recycled products.’’

One of the major products produced from the tyres – along with steel, carbon, gas that largely self-powers the plant, and recoverable heat – is a ‘‘green’’ diesel that can substitute for traditional low-grade fossil fuels currently used in boilers.

Eneform planned to produce tyre diesel for a large national roading contractor, Simcox said.

The end product would be cost-effective and have filtered emissions.

The plant will be developed by Eneform with support from partners including Southern Cross Engineering, Petrotec and Hineuru Holdings.

Southern Cross Engineering chief executive Craig Philips said the process used by Eneform was ‘‘world-leading’’ and demonstrated how Kiwi ingenuity could develop unique technological solutions to challenging waste problems.

This week, Packaging NZ executive director Sharon Humphreys said New Zealand should be investigating ways to burn plastic for energy.

China’s decision to ban most imported recycling meant more recyclable plastics were being dumped in landfills.

‘‘We need a national strategic plan of what waste and recycling looks like in New Zealand,’’ Humphreys said.