Sustainability
We pave the way for sustainability-driven innovation with our tire technology designed to define the future of our planet.
E.Circle Process
We remain committed to a sustainable environment from the initial process of designing tires to identifying the hazards of chemical substances used for our products throughout the planning, manufacturing,
and disposal processes.
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Planning and Research
Efforts made to develop user-based product concepts, tap into emerging technologies, and define a product’s feature set, ultimately providing a more valuable experience
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Design
Efforts made to look into global chemical information systems to identify any hazards posed by chemical substances that go into products, to design lightweight tires to reduce the rolling resistance and energy consumption, and to design tires with long-lasting performance
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Raw Materials Acquisition
Efforts made to scout for green raw materials applicable to tires and the relevant suppliers
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Manufacturing
Efforts made to introduce equipment and facilities designed to reduce waste and pollutants, as well as water and energy consumption
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Disposal
Efforts made to recycle end-of-life tires into raw materials for new tires or other rubber products
Four approaches of E.Circle
As the global economy continues to grow, demand for goods is also increasing gradually. However, we must prevent resource exhaustion through efficient use as the resources given are not infinite.
Sustainable Resources and Materials Strategy and Goal
Our constant research spans the following four principles: recycling, renewable, reusable, reducing.
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Recycle
We reprocess waste tires to obtain the recycled rubber or the reinforcing filler, and use resources efficiently by replacing the petroleum-based raw materials with the recycled ones.
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Renewable
To contribute to resource conservation, we are actively discovering renewable raw materials and continuously developing technologies that apply them to our production.
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Reuse
Retreading tire technology, which converts the old tires in a good structural condition into new ones by covering them with rubber, we contribute to the environmental preservation by significantly reducing the amount of raw materials used.
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Reduce
We reduce the CO2 emissions with use of renewable energy and saving resources as well as the resource consumption by prolonging the use period while extending the lifespan of products.
Our Sustainable Materials at a Glance
Mid- to long-term research designed to use green and sustainable bio-based raw materials and recycle tires
Use of Sustainable Materials
Hankook Tire realizes the eco-design that reduces negative impact on the environment by discovering and applying the eco-friendly materials to reduce the environmental impact of tire use and raw material acquisition. With active use of sustainable materials, we are achieving our result in preventing any depletion of natural resources and reducing CO2 emissions.
Discovering Sustainable Materials and Developing Applied Technology
Hankook Tire is discovering various sustainable materials and developing application technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the raw material procurement stage. Acquiring the industry's first global eco-friendly international certification, 'ISCC PLUS,' as a way to transparently manage the use of sustainable materials is part of these efforts. The ISCC PLUS certification which was acquired by the Geumsan plant for the first time in the industry in 2021 is being renewed for the third year. In September 2023, the Hungary plant acquired the ISCC PLUS certification, becoming the second factory from Hankook Tire & Technology to receive ISCC PLUS certification. With this certification, the company is promoting its carbon dioxide reduction at the raw material acquisition stage by transparently managing its supply chain and manufacturing process and increasing the use of sustainable raw materials. The company plans to continue to expand the number of its certified plants and increase the proportion of sustainable products supplied.
* ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) PLUS: An international certification system that verifies the use of sustainable materials throughout the production process
I iON evo is including ISCC PLUS certified materials linked to circular or bio-circular feedstocks. By using certified materials, we are contributing to reducing the usage of fossil-based virgin materials In addition to the ISCC PLUS certified raw materials referred, bio-based silica, natural resin/oil, recycled carbon/rubber, and natural rubber are used in this tire, making a total of 45% sustainable raw materials.
| Front Wheel | Rear Wheel | |
|---|---|---|
| Circular PET | 100% (of PET) | 100% (of PET) |
| Bio-circular BR | 100% (of BR) | 100% (of BR) |
| Bio-circular SBR | 27% (of SBR) | 42% (of SBR) |
| The total share of ISCC PLUS Certified Materials | 10.8% (of Front Wheel) | 13.0% (of Rear Wheel) |
* Mass balance approach
Developing Sustainable Tires
Hankook Tire is conducting various R&D activities to prevent resource depletion and reduce carbon emissions from the product development stage, where the environmental impact of tires is determined the most. In 2022, we succeeded in developing tires containing 45% of sustainable materials, satisfying both the legal requirements for passenger car tires and the requirements of demanding automakers. In addition, tires containing 55% of sustainable materials are developed successfully, and their durability is being evaluated in harsh conditions. Both tires contain sustainable raw materials such as ISCC PLUS certified synthetic rubber, recycled PET cord, recycled carbon black, bio-based silica, oil and resin. We will continue to conduct our research and development to use 100% sustainable materials for all tires by 2050.
Technology Collaboration of Eco-friendly Tire
Hankook Tire is conducting joint R&D of sustainable tires with some automakers to lead eco-friendly mobility. Recently, we obtained technical approval for sustainable tires for the electric vehicle through a joint project with a premium European automaker. This tire is scheduled to receive ISCC PLUS certification for the first time in the world among tires supplied to finished vehicles. Compared to conventional tires (Based on 1,000 units), sustainable tires have the effect of reducing carbon dioxide by approximately 7,000 kg CO2eq, which is equivalent to the annual absorption of approximately 1,400 trees. Going forward, we plan to promote the active technology development and global collaboration with the goal of 100% sustainable tires.
* Reference: Jasmin Cooper et al. / Procedia CIRP 105 (2022) 357–361
