A number of components are needed to produce a tyre. Among the raw materials that are utilized, some come from plantations: natural rubber and a derivative of wood cellulose called, which serves for the tyre's reinforcement structures.
Pirelli have produced the first tyre that is made by natural rubber and rayon certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) NGO. The FSC®-certification of forest management confirms that the plantations are managed in a way that preserves biological diversity and brings benefits to the lives of the people of the local communities and workers, with benefits of economic viability. In the complex process of certification of the chain of custody FSC® verifies that, along the chain of transformation from the plantation to the tyre maker, the FSC® certified material has been identified and separated from uncertified material.
THE FSC®-CERTIFIED NATURAL RUBBER IN PIRELLI P ZERO FOR THE BMW X5 PLUG-IN HYBRID1
The world's first tyre made using FSC®-certified natural rubber and rayon sourced from FSC®-certified plantations marks a new milestone in the production of tyres. It is the P ZERO1 made for the new BMW X5 xDrive45e Plug-in-Hybrid. A tyre supplied in sizes 275/35 R 22 for the front and 315/30 R 22 in the rear for the second generation of the BMW X5 with electrified traction, which combines a petrol engine featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and the fourth generation of BMW eDrive technology.
This tyre, which is produced exclusively in Pirelli's Rome, Georgia factory in the USA, also benefits low rolling resistance (scoring ‘A' on the European tyre label), which improves fuel consumption and reduces consequent harmful emissions. On top of this, noise levels are lower, which further benefits the environment.
THE RESPONSIBKE MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RUBBER
The FSC® certification of the natural rubber produced in certified plantations and used to make the new P ZERO1 tyre for BMW's X5 Plug-in-Hybrid procured is just the latest step on the path that Pirelli has been on for many years towards the responsible management of the natural rubber supply chain. This is achieved through a roadmap of activities based on the training and sharing of good practices in the countries of origin of the material, in line with the principles and values contained in the Pirelli Sustainable Natural Rubber Policy, which was issued in 2017. This document is the result of consultations with key stakeholders in the natural rubber value chain including international NGOs, Pirelli's main natural rubber suppliers, growers and traders within the supply chain, automotive customers, and multilateral global organisations. Pirelli also is a founding member of the global platform for sustainable natural rubber (GPSNR). This multi-stakeholder platform was created in 2018 with the objective of supporting the sustainable development of the natural rubber business worldwide, benefitting the entire supply chain.
[1] In which natural rubber accounts for approximately 16% of tyre weight.
