More Sustainable Tires: Continental Uses Synthetic Rubber Made From Used Cooking Oil

Continental is prioritizing the use of renewable and recycled materials in its tire production. While the share of these materials averaged 26 percent in 2024, the tire manufacturer expects an increase of 2 to 3 percentage points by the end of this year. In just five years, by 2030, this figure is expected to rise to at least 40 percent. Among other materials, the focus is on rubber and resins from various more sustainable sources. Both materials are essential for the quality and performance characteristics of tires. With the increasingly using of synthetic rubber derived from more sustainable sources, such as for example pyrolysis oil made from end-of-life tires or used cooking oil. According to life cycle assessments, this additive, which is produced from raw materials such as biocircular acetone, has a carbon footprint that is more than 30 percent lower than its conventionally manufactured counterpart. Biocircular acetone is made from waste of biological origin, like recycled cooking oil. 

Continental already uses circular resins produced by suppliers like TotalEnergies Cray Valley that are ISCC PLUS-certified sustaining along the value chain the development of renewables feedstocks originally coming from vegetable oil or used cooking oil.“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.”