Pirelli Tyre says it is going greener with rice husks. In 2012, the tiremaker stated it had investigated the properties of "silica" produced from rice husks and was calculating the carbon footprint for this product.

Now on its Facebook page, the tiremaker refers to a text published by The Economist, which reports that rice husk-derived "silica" could provide a third of Pirelli’s silica requirements in Brazil within the next two years.

The company processes rice husks at its plant in Meleiro, Brazil. According to The Economist, a ton of rice produces around 200 kilograms of husks and these, in turn, yield 40 kilograms of “silica.” The publication also quotes Pirelli’s Daniele Lorenzetti as saying the Meleiro factory will be providing the tiremaker with a third of its Brazilian production silica needs by 2015. (Tyres & Accessories)