South African company Hamba Kanqane has partnered with Australian rubber producer Rubber Solutions to build South Africa’s first 4-t/h tyre recycling plant, in Mpumalanga.

“Research undertaken in tyre recycling from mid-2008 proved it to be a sustainable business opportunity, which resulted in a feasibility study that produced positive results. 
“We also approached the South African Tyre Recycling Process Company for advice. 
“The company is currently waiting to hear from the Department of Environmental Affairs concerning the approval of an integrated waste tyre plan to continue the project,” says Hamba Kanqane’s Sello Mashego.

Tyre Recycling Manufacturing MD Ray Goldberg aims to build a sustainable plant that will be able to produce waste tyre products that are competitive in the rubber mar-ket.

“The plant will produce 20 160 t/y of recycled tyre products, such as plus-4 buffings, minus-30 mesh powder, 1-mm to 4-mm granules and 8-mm to 15-mm granules. 
“The company plans to sell 30% of the minus-30 mesh powder at $190/t, as well as all granule sizes at $150/t,” explains Mashego.

The plant will also produce 0,062 t of fibre and 0,56 t/m of steel by-products that can be sold at $40/t and $90/t respectively.

The products will be exported to Rubber Solutions, with which Hamba Kanqane has a five-year product buy-back guarantee contract that does not prevent the company from selling the product locally when unfavourable market conditions prevail.

Mashego adds that all products are manufactured in an environment-friendly manner, and that the company will continue research and development. 
The new plant will also create job opportunities to empower the local community in the vicinity of the plant.

Hamba Kanqane will employ about 45 permanent employees at the plant and 41 permanent employees at a waste tyre warehouse for the storage of tyres ranging from 7-kg commercial and passenger tyres to 45-kg truck tyres. 
The warehouse will be located in Middleburg, in Mpumalanga province, as, logistically, it will ensure the easy collection of waste tyres.