The use of textile materials from recycled tyres has historically been underutilised compared to the rubber components. However, Recykl Organizacja Odzysku S.A. (Recykl) is changing this narrative by innovatively developing a textile-based additive for road construction. As Poland’s leading tyre recycling company and the largest in Central and Eastern Europe, Recykl processes approximately 140,000 tonnes of end-of-life tyres (ELTs) annually. Since 2016, the company has embarked on a transformative journey to increase profitability through new products while also aiming to reduce production costs. This shift in perspective allows them to view tyres not as waste but as a valuable source of raw materials.  

Recykl’s innovation led to the development of SMAPOL, a textile-based additive for road construction, for which the company filed its first patent application in 2016, granted in 2019. SMAPOL is produced from textile cords recovered during the mechanical recycling of tyres. These cords are separated, cleaned, and treated to enhance their properties, facilitating their incorporation into asphalt. The decision to utilise textile materials from recycled tyres in this new product for road construction is based on their mechanical strengths, including high tensile strength, heat resistance, and durability against ageing and chemicals.