Americans generate nearly 300 million scrap tires every year according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In today’s push to reuse/repurpose/recycle, it’s imperative that we know exactly what to do with our old tires.
Here are some green benefits that are hard to discount:
Help reduce pollution and energy consumption
When a tire is dumped in a landfill, it emits carbon into the atmosphere. When you repurpose, you cut down on harmful landfill pollution for a greener earth. As a result, the overall size of our landfills is cut down dramatically without the footprint of these old tires.
Old becomes new
Recycled tires can be repurposed for things like children’s playgrounds, mulch, or flooring instead of obtaining new material. What a great way to repurpose.
Prevent disease spread
Discarded tires serve as the perfect home for disease-carrying animals like rats and birds. They collect stagnant water which acts as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The Chicago Tribune reports one tire can produce more than 10,000 adult mosquitoes. Another good reason to start recycling.
It’s cost-effective
Despite myths about tire recycling being expensive, it’s actually very low in cost being anywhere from $1-$10 to dispose of depending on the method you choose. Some companies may come to pick them up for a small fee. There are also specialized recycling centers that accept old tires for just a few dollars. Check Google for options near you.
What Happens to Recycled Tires:
Fuel
You may have heard about turning french fry oil into gas, but did you know your discarded tires can also be turned into fuel? Researchers have discovered a way to create diesel fuel from used tires. They have designed highly technical equipment that heats the rubber from the tires to a very high temperature. The gas created by this heating is funneled through a condenser which separates the gas from the oil. The oil that filters out is high-quality diesel fuel which can power cars. This system can make a tremendous impact on the environment and lessen our reliance on petroleum.
Construction materials
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is experimenting with "crumb" rubber, which consists of ground-up tires and other components used to improve the rubberized road materials already on aging asphalt. Ground tire rubber, when blended with asphalt, produces longer lasting road surfaces and can lower road noise. Asphalt rubber is the largest single market for ground rubber, consuming an estimated 220 million pounds, or approximately 12 million tires, according to the EPA.
Remolded tires
The obvious use for worn out tires is to turn old into new. The rubber from your disposed tires can be used to create new tires, giving it new life.
Community use
As mentioned above, one of the most common ways tires are recycled is in rubberized asphalt, surfacing for children’s playground, mulch and flooring. This shows how recycling can go a long way towards sustainable living.