Retreading is the process whereby selected and inspected worn tyres receive a new tread. The worn tread is buffed off and a new tread is vulcanised onto the casing in a process very similar to the manufacture of a new tyre - through the application of heat and pressure for a definite length of time. The economics involved in this process are very important. Up to 75% energy and raw material consumption are saved when producing a retreated tyre compared to a new tyre. But retreading is not only important from an economic point of view, but also from an environmental point of view. Retreading is one of the first options for post-consumer tyres, accounting for about 12% of the treatments. Another option is the recycling of the tyres, regaining the rubber in the form of reclaim or fine powder. A combination of both re-using and recycling would mean the use of recycled products (rubber reclaim and rubber fine powder) in retreaded tyres. In this paper, the use of reclaimed rubber and fine rubber powder in two tread compounds will be described, together with their influence on the properties of the compounds.
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