A numerous amount of waste tyre is landfilled or dumped all over the world, which causes environmental problems. The coal liquefaction residue (CLR) produced in 30% yield through the process supporting unit of the NEDOL coal liquefaction process. As one of the effective method for processing both CLR and waste tyre, simultaneous hydrogenolyses of these materials was carried out. The synergistic effects to upgrading, such as the increase of oil yield and the decrease of asphaltene yield, were appeared on the hydrogenolyses. However, the interaction between tyre and CLR to synergistic effects was not clarified. In this study, the effects of hydrogen donatable solvent (tetralin) and pressurized gas on the hydrogenolyses of CLR and tyre constituents are discussed. As a result, it was clarified that both tetralin and the pressurized H-2 gas were necessary for the simultaneous hydrogenolyses of CLR and tyre. The hydrogen shuttling from H2 gas and tetralin was enhanced by the aromatic compounds derived from tyre rubber constituents (styrene-butadiene rubber and natural rubber). The hydrogenation of the heavy oil constituent in CLR was enhanced by carbon black and the inorganic constituents in tyre, such as zinc oxide and sulfur. Accordingly, the synergistic effects on the simultaneous hydrogenolyses of CLR and tyre were appeared because the hydrogen shuttling occurred by the aromatics from tyre rubber constituents, and the hydrogenation was enhanced by carbon black and the inorganic constituents in tyre. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.