Reclaiming old Tires by Re-using Rubber

Vulcanized Rubber – is the raw rubber that has undergone the chemical process of adding sulfur
atoms that join the polymer chain.
Mr. Goodyear invented this process of vulcanization, which was patented in 1844. Vulcanization permits the widespread use of rubber for a wide range of consumer products. For example, all rubber tires are made from vulcanized rubber.

Rubber Recycling - is the means for the secondary use of waste rubber. These include using rubber waste for road construction, sidewalks and for surfaces in children’s playgrounds, mulch and roofing tiles, etc., and for de-vulcanization.

De-Vulcanization of Rubber - the process of "removing” or breaking the sulfur bonds, or returning the rubber to workable rubber again, so that it can be reintroduced into the manufacturing of rubber products to be vulcanized all over again. This allows for the “reuse” of the rubber in a new product.

Environmental Impact

There are currently millions of used rubber tires that have either been taken to regular landfills or have been taken to storage sites that have also become detrimental to the environmental

Extracting the precious from the worthless

Levgum technology is one that recycles rubber into reusable rubber by using a mechanical/chemical process of de-vulcanization (breaking the sulfur links that are crossed between rubber polymer chains).

This process is performed by rolling a blend of ground waste rubber with about three percent (3%) (by weight) of a patented Ecological De-Vulcanizer (EDV) for a few minutes (20 passes through a roller-mill). The result is a De-vulcanized Rubber Compound (DRC), ready for reuse by the rubber industry to make new products. To speak metaphorically, it is much like taking a cake that has become stale and processing it to get the dough again, which in turn, can then be reused to bake a new cake or other baked goods.

DRC Advantages
Green - namely, the entire process is environmentally friendly.
First, the Levgum process answers the imposing question facing the world’s environment and ecology – What do we do with discarded tires and waster rubber?
Second, the de-vulcanization process itself is environmentally friendly. It has no emissions,
no residue, and no sewage waste.
Third, the EDV is composed of off-the-shelf materials combined together in a process that is
again environmentally friendly and creates no emissions, no residue, and no sewage.

Good – This process has received the approval of the leading tire manufacturer in the world that the DRC
is good for their tires.
Levgum's DRC was tested for almost two years by that tire manufacturer in its headquarters.  The tests included laboratory tests, as well as, road tests with the final product made with approximately 13% DRC. The results were extremely good. Their performance assessment concludes that: “The Compound physical properties are acceptable using Levgum DRC.” Moreover, tire performance is acceptable using Levgum DRC “with small advantages in wet and dry traction and handling.” In their view, “Levgum exceeds other commercially available material.” (This refers to the properties of the final rubber compound using DRC, as compared in testing, with other commercially available alternative materials.)

Gold – The Levgum process is used on an industrial scale, and products are being made containing DRC and sold throughout the world. The fact that it is commercially used in India, Turkey, and Brazil assures us that it is cost effective.
Moreover, in October 1999, the tire giant, Goodyear, announced that it is going to pursue recycling rubber using de-vulcanization processes. This is an important fact even if it only relates to marketing, advertising, and a public relations exercise. This giant is one of the largest tire companies in the world having a business turnover of over 20.3 billion US dollars annually (over 25.4% of the world tire market that has crossed the 80 billion US dollar barrier in 2003).
It is clear that Goodyear, by focusing on de-vulcanization, will dictate a clear direction for the rest of the tire industry. Goodyear would not move into the business unless it was calculated to bring considerable profits by reducing the cost of the raw materials for its tire market.
Consequently, its two main competitors (Michelin and Bridgestone), will be forced to follow in its footsteps or be reconciled with a considerable decrease in sales and profits.