BX White Tire begins public road testing with Shizuoka City Share Cycle!

2024-04-08

Starting April 15th, LIPPER will conduct a demonstration experiment by equipping PULCLE rental bicycles operated by Shizuoka City with BX White Tires, which do not use carbon black.

BX tires are new tires manufactured using our environmentally friendly tire reinforcement agent as a raw material.

Reducing the environmental impact of tires has become a new environmental issue, and our company aims to create new tires to address this concern.

Summary

Verification Period: April 15th, 2024 (Monday) to July 14th, 2024 (Sunday)

※ Deployment starts at 10:00 AM on April 15th at the north exit of Shizuoka Station.

Number of Deployed Units: 6 in total

Verification Content: Verification of tire wear and weather resistance

About "BX"

The abbreviation BX stands for Blue Transformation, which refers to a structural change aimed at safeguarding marine resources and human health.

Current Challenges in Tires

Carbon black, the tire reinforcing agent, is petroleum-derived, leading to significant CO2 emissions during its production.

Tire dust is considered a major contributor to marine microplastics, prompting regulations by the EU.

Tire disposal currently involves either landfilling or incineration, both of which impose significant environmental burdens.

Key Points in BX White Tire Development

By reinforcing tires with nanocellulose derived from wood, we are transitioning to natural materials.

We aim for biodegradability even if tire dust flows into the ocean. By using natural materials, including soil biodegradability, we aim for complete decomposition in natural environments.

BX (Blue Transformation) refers to a global challenge aimed at enriching marine resources.

Background

Since 2021, our company has been progressing with the development of raw materials for BX White Tires. Last year, we were selected for the Shizuoka City Acceleration Program and have been preparing for demonstration experiments in collaboration with Shizuoka City Hall and TOKAI Cable Network.

Shizuoka City Acceleration Program

The Shizuoka City Acceleration Program (hereinafter referred to as “the program”) is an acceleration program hosted by Shizuoka City aimed at promoting sustainable urban development. The program focuses on providing intensive support to businesses with high growth potential (startups) and entrepreneurs, as well as businesses aiming for further business expansion through collaborative activities with external partners. The goal is to accelerate their growth and contribute to the sustainable development of the Shizuoka City economy, as well as the creation of new industries and employment opportunities.

Host: Shizuoka City
Contracted Operator (Operating Secretariat):01Booster Inc.
Website(Japanese only):
https://01booster.com/program/shizuoka-city/

Future Outlook

Starting from June of this year, with the cooperation of Shizuoka Prefecture and Shizuoka City, we plan to conduct verification of the marine biodegradability of tire dust at Shimizu Port. From 2025, we plan to commence full-scale production of tire reinforcement materials and begin supplying them to tire manufacturers.

About Shizuoka City's Bike Share Program "PULCLE"

PULCLE is a bike-sharing service operating approximately 600 bicycles at around 200 cycle ports throughout Shizuoka City. It has been in operation since June of Reiwa 2 (2020), aiming to reduce environmental impact and improve local mobility.

Implementing Authority: Shizuoka City (Urban Planning Department, Traffic Policy Section, Bicycle Town Promotion Unit)
Operating Entities: Tokai Cable Network Co., Ltd., Toko Channel Shizuoka Co., Ltd., OpenStreet, Inc.

Website (Japanese only)
https://pulcle.jp/