Why Continental is Making Tyres From Used Cooking Oil & Rice
Used cooking oil is now a key ingredient in some of Continental’s tyres.
The company is increasing its use of renewable and recycled raw materials as part of its tyre production strategy.
In 2024, Continental reached an average of 26% for these materials and it expects that figure to rise by up to three percentage points by the end of 2025.
By 2030, the company has set a target of at least 40% across its tyre portfolio.
“We’re closing the loop: Continental is ramping up its commitment to a circular economy and mapping out its path for the future,” says Jorge Almeida, Head of Sustainability at Continental Tires.
“Innovative solutions enable us to use more sustainable raw materials, such as synthetic rubber made from used cooking oil or resins based on certified renewable feedstocks originally derived from vegetable oil.”
About sustainable rubber
Rubber is an important raw material in mobility as tyres for passenger and commercial vehicles rely on both natural and synthetic types.
Natural rubber is used for durability and impact resistance, especially for treads.
Synthetic rubber, however, offers better braking performance and rolling resistance, making it a complementary material.
Continental is expanding its use of synthetic rubber from renewable and recycled sources.
Examples include pyrolysis oil recovered from end-of-life tyres and used cooking oil.
How tyres impact energy efficiency
Resins are an essential part of tyre compounds, improving elasticity, grip and rolling resistance.
Continental is using circular resins from ISCC PLUS-certified sources, including products developed by TotalEnergies Cray Valley.
These resins are made from vegetable oil derivatives and used cooking oil, providing a lower-impact input while sustaining performance.
By modifying elasticity and abrasion properties, resins can also influence energy demand when tyres are in use.
Improved rolling resistance contributes to lower fuel consumption for combustion vehicles and extended ranges for electric vehicles.
Continental has also become the first tyre manufacturer to adopt ISCC PLUS-certified TMQ, an antioxidant from LANXESS.
The additive is made using biocircular acetone from sources including waste cooking oil.
Life cycle assessments show that TMQ has a carbon footprint more than 30% lower than the conventional equivalent.
Mass balance approach
Continental uses the mass balance approach across production to help scale renewable and recycled inputs.
This method combines fossil, renewable and recycled sources in a single process while tracking the contribution of each along the value chain.
“The mass balance approach enables us to efficiently manage the complexity of the raw materials portfolio and track how these raw materials are used at multiple production sites in a wide range of markets,” explains Matthias Haufe, Head of Material Development and Industrialisation at Continental Tires.
“In this way, we can steadily increase the share of renewable and recycled materials in our tyre production – and transparently document the progress we make.”
ISCC PLUS certification allows Continental to attribute renewable and recycled material use accurately to final products.
Continental’s approach to sustainable materials
Jorge says: “To achieve sustainable mobility, we are constantly searching for even more environmentally friendly materials.
“After extensive testing, we integrate them into production as quickly as possible.”
Alongside rubber, Continental is also exploring more sustainable alternatives for polyester, silica, carbon black and even adhesives.
Recycled steel is replacing conventional steel in its production and the ashes of rice husks are being used to replace silica from quartz sand.
Since 2019, the company has been using a proprietary textile coating named COKOON instead of formaldehyde and resorcinol to bond textile components and rubber compounds.
