Schwalbe extends tube recycling to France and Italy

Schwalbe is continuing to roll out its tube recycling programme. With immediate effect, customers in France and Italy can also return used bicycle inner tubes to specialist retailers.

These are sent back to Schwalbe in bundles, recycled using a devulcanization process developed in-house and used for the production of new products.

Today, every Schwalbe standard inner tube already contains around 20% recycled raw material.

The energy balance of the recycling process, including all transportation routes, is extremely positive. Compared to the production of the same amount of new butyl, 80% energy is saved.

Since the start of the tube recycling programme in 2015, more than 10 million tubes have already been recycled.

The addition of France and Italy brings the number of participating countries to 10 (Germany, Austria, the UK, Benelux, the USA, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) – with more in the pipeline.

Participation in the programme is free of charge for all bicycle dealers.

The process is also reasonably simple.

First, old bicycle inner tubes – regardless of brand – are collected in boxes.

Dealers can then log into the UPS portal with their Schwalbe ID, print out the free shipping label and attach it to the tube package.

The parcel can then be handed in at the UPS store, to the UPS couriers or a collection can be arranged.

Schwalbe tube recycling was awarded the Eurobike Green Award 2015, the Green Concept Award 2020 and the German Sustainability Award 2021.

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In September last year, BikeBiz editor Daniel Blackham sat down with Felix Jahn, corporate social responsibility manager at Schwalbe, on the German brand’s efforts to tackle its own ecological impact head on.

Schwalbe also produces a comprehensive CSR report annually.

The latest edition outlines a number of ambitious targets as the company pursues the goal of “minimising its negative impact on the climate and nature while making positive contributions”.