Bridgestone Americas Inc. says it "has achieved the tire industry's first at-scale use of recovered carbon black."
The commercialization of D-E Black, a product developed by Delta-Energy Group, with which Bridgestone began partnering five years ago, "marks a significant milestone in achieving Bridgestone Group's long-term environnental vision of targeting 100% sustainable materials - and contributing to a reduction of over 50% (carbon dioxide) emissions -- by the year 2050 and beyond," according to Bridgestone officials.
"The investment also serves a larger mission at Bridgestone to drive toward a circular economy that eliminates waste through the continual use of resources. As demand for virgin carbon black outpaces supply, the strategic investment by Bridgestone provides an alternative that benefits not only the tire industry, but the planet, as well."
"Bridgestone Group is deeply committed to advancing an environmentally sustainable society by fully supporting a truly circular economy," says Nizar Trigui, Bridgestone Americas Inc.'s chief technology officer.
Bridgestone began evaluatiing Delta-Energy's materials in 2007. The use of the firm's D-E Black product as a partial replacement for virgin carbon black in new tires "has undergone extensive testing" to help ensure compliance with the tiremaker's quality and performance standards, say Bridgestone officials.
