Former Bridgestone plant in French city of Béthune will collect, sort and retread passenger car tires. The agreement on this has been reached by a French retreading specialist Black-Star with the car maintenance company Mobivia with the help of Bridgestone.

An integrated tire recycling ecosystem that relies on the circular economy and gives scrap tires a second life will be developed on a special industrial site with the support of iWip subsidiary. Mobivia will provide its auto centers for tire collection. From there, scrap tires will be transported and retreaded. The recycling process will help save up to 80 percent of the original material used in tire production. Each tire will be recycled into 9 kg of rubber and steel.

This recycling initiative will create jobs and will depend on the skills base and equipment already at the Béthune site. The new recycling unit will become operational beginning of 2020.

Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French minister delegate to the ministry of the economy, finance and recovery commented on the new circular economy project that involves tires as saying that he was delighted that it has come to fruition. The French minister also praised the beneficial impact of the project on the environment.