Tyre life cycle

Lifecycle refers to the different stages a product undergoes from manufacture to use to removal from service, in other words from raw material to waste. The lifecycle of a tyre begins from a caouthuc tree in the southern hemisphere, e.g., Indonesia or Thailand. The lifecycle spans the manufacture of raw materials and products, storage, and many rounds of transportation. The tyre’s actual lifecycle ends, for example, when the tyre is crushed and used in land construction. The lifecycle can be roughly divided into four parts:
 
1. Procurement and manufacture of production inputs such
as raw materials and energy.
2. Tyre manufacture
3. Use of tyre
4. Utilisation of used tyres
 
Nokian Tyres’ environmental protection policy stems from lifecycle thinking. This means that the company
acknowledges its responsibility for the environmental impacts of its products and activities over their entire lifecycle. The company’s purchase policy states that the suppliers’ commitment to environmental affairs is investigated as part of the procurement process. All contract partners, such as contractors and subcontractors, must be committed to Nokian Tyres’ principles.
 
Most of the tyre’s environmental impacts are generated during tyre use. The most important in-use impact is the vehicle’s fuel consumption. Tyre consumption can be reduced by lowering the tyre’s weight and rolling resistance, consequently reducing exhaust fume emissions and the formation of greenhouse gases. However, the most significant factor affecting the level of exhaust fume emissions is the driver’s driving style. Economic driving can generate10–20 per cent savings in fuel consumption.