In the pilot plant for pyrolysis of whole tyres for passenger cars and vans we received a liquid product, hydrocarbon fraction known as pyrolytic oil, two solid products, i.e. pyrolytic carbon, scrap metal cord and gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons. The main goal of the research was to determine susceptibility of the obtained pyrolytic oils to hydrorefining. The analysis showed that hydrorefining process, carried out in the presence of commercial catalysts, allows for much improvement of its characteristics. However, it is necessary to apply relatively hard process conditions: temperature of at least 360 degrees C and hydrogen pressure of about 5 MPa. Then the product is desulphurised down to the sulphur content of less than 0.2% by weight and the unsaturated hydrocarbons are partially hydrogenated, which is characterised by the decrease of bromine number to less than 20 g Br-2/100 g. As a result of high content of aromatic hydrocarbons, in respect of relatively high sulphur content, high density and low cetane index (lower than 35), even after hydrorefining process, pyrolytic oil can only be used as a component of fuel oils. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.