Firms partner on tires to polycarbonates

The Finnish refiner Neste, the Austrian petrochemical maker Borealis, and the German specialty materials firm Covestro are teaming up to recycle tires into plastics that could be used in automotive parts like headlamps and radiator grilles. Neste will upgrade pyrolysis oil made from discarded tires into a feedstock suitable for petrochemicals. Borealis will take this raw material and transform it into phenol and acetone, and Covestro will transform those chemicals into polycarbonate resins. The partners are considering expanding the program into polyurethanes.