Are Tyres Made from Recycled Plastic Bottles?

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 by Chesca D
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Chesca D is a Content & Editorial Coordinator at Tyres.co.uk and is responsible for researching, coordinating, and producing accurate, up-to-date tyre guidance for our Knowledge Hub..
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Can your next set of tyres really be made from recycled plastic bottles? This article explores how leading brands like Michelin and Continental are pioneering sustainable tyre production using PET plastics. Learn how eco-friendly materials are shaping the future of driving — and how your tyre choice can help the planet too.

The goal to make driving more sustainable covers all manner of areas of focus – from reducing the rolling resistance of vehicles and thereby the carbon emissions of acceleration, to changing the materials used to construct vehicle components. 

One part of the vehicle that it feels obvious to improve from an environmental perspective is the tyres. After all, a single vehicle requires at least four working tyres – with the lifespan meaning that these need to be replaced every couple of years owing to wear and tear.

So, can tyres be made more environmentally friendly – and is the shift to recycled materials (namely plastic bottles) possible when it comes to vehicle tyres?

Can Tyres Be Made From Recycled Plastic?

In 2021, Michelin announced that by 2024 it would aim to use recycled yoghurt pots and PET bottles in the manufacturing of its tyres. While no new announcements have stemmed from this in recent months, the brand remains committed to its sustainability goals and is hoping to achieve carbon neutrality across the production base by 2050.

Meanwhile, in very early 2025, Continental also announced that it was starting a new line of tyre production using the same PET bottles – with PET standing for polyethylene terephthalate.

The part of the tyre that can be constructed from broken down and repurposed plastic bottles is the tyre cord, which contributes towards its structural and the maintenance of the tyre shape around its full circumference. 

Continental has proven specifically that the PET bottles provide the flexibility and durability that’s required by tyres that are used on the road. It is also a material that is readily available and would otherwise end up in landfill.

Both brands have a goal to switch to 100% recycled components in the creation of their tyres, by 2050. We will continue to monitor the rollout of recycled plastic tyres and sustainably driven vehicle tyres, and keep you updated on the progress!

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Finding the Best Tyres for Your Vehicle

It’s not all about sustainable materials and recycled components when it comes to making vehicles more environmentally friendly.

Choosing tyres which are well suited to your road surface and to your vehicle also plays a part in reducing the rolling resistance of your vehicle, thereby limiting the amount of acceleration needed and cutting carbon emissions on each journey you make.

Add to this the increase in car sharing initiatives across UK workplaces, the improvement in public transport, and the ever-improving awareness around sustainability, and the UK is making good steps towards our roads becoming greener and more environmentally friendly. 

Do your bit for the environment by checking your tyres and ensuring you have the most suitable ones fitted to your vehicle – with the help of the team at Tyres.co.uk.

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