IAG backs tyre-to-fuel initiative
January 22, 2025
International Airlines Group (IAG) has announced an investment in Wastefront, a company specialising in converting used tyres into Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
This approach involves processing waste tyres to produce tyre-derived oil, which is then refined into SAF and road fuels.
The resulting SAF is expected to deliver life cycle carbon emission reductions of over 80% compared to conventional fossil fuels.
The investment is part of IAG’s ongoing commitment to advancing SAF development and supports Wastefront’s plans to construct a state-of-the-art tyre-to-fuel facility at the Port of Sunderland.
Scheduled to begin operations in 2026, the Sunderland facility will process up to 10 million end-of-life tyres annually once it becomes fully operational in 2027. The UK currently generates around 50 million waste tyres each year, many of which are exported to countries like India for incineration in cement plants or discarded in landfills.
The Sunderland plant represents a step toward achieving the UK’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel mandate, which took effect on January 1, 2025. The mandate requires that at least 10% of all jet fuel used on flights departing the UK be sourced from sustainable feedstocks by 2030, increasing to 22% by 2040.
To meet the 2030 target, the UK will need to produce 1.2 million tonnes of SAF annually—almost 20 times the estimated production of 64,000 tonnes in 2023, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Jonathon Counsell, IAG’s Group Sustainability Officer, said: “We’re proud to support innovators like Wastefront, who are finding new forms of feedstocks to produce advanced fuels. However, as global demand for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) grows, it’s crucial to expand production in the UK.
“The recent government mandate will help reduce aviation’s overall carbon impact, but airlines need confidence that the planned revenue certainty mechanism will support UK businesses in developing SAF technology without further increasing the cost base for UK airlines.”
Vianney Valès, CEO of Wastefront, said: “At Wastefront, our mission is to turn a problematic waste stream into a highly valuable resource. We can create SAF at an extremely competitive cost with a very low environmental footprint – capable of reducing carbon emissions in the production process by up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuels.
“This investment is a testament to the potential of Wastefront’s technology in tackling waste and air pollution.”
