Disposal of Used Tires
Tires play an essential role in the transportation of goods and people, and are responsible for up to 30% (when properly inflated) of fuel consumption in passenger cars. They provide traction, support the weight of vehicles, absorb shocks and vibrations, and ensure directional control for passengers and drivers.
Tire technology is constantly evolving to help improve safety, performance, and sustainability. These new tires are able to handle higher temperatures, reduce rolling resistance, and offer long-lasting service.
As we all know, tires can be a huge source of waste and should not be dumped in landfills. Rather, they should be recycled to prevent pollution and preserve resources.
The Tires of Tomorrow: Rethinking the Disposal of Used Tires
For decades, tires were disposed of in landfills or burned for fuel, which releases hazardous chemicals and discharges particulate matter into the environment. This causes environmental concerns and health risks such as increased fire risk, air pollution, toxic chemical exposure, and soil contamination.
However, a new trend in recycling is helping to reverse this situation. Recycled rubber is now being repurposed in an endless number of ways. These products range from roofing tiles to carpet pads, playground surfaces, planters, rubber mulch, athletic flooring, and more.
Recycled tires have the potential to replace petroleum-based products. This is an important step in advancing the circular economy as it will save energy and decrease CO2 emissions while preserving natural resources, creating a more environmentally friendly process.
USTMA members are investing in operations that extract carbon black from scrap tires and utilize it in manufacturing new tires. This also helps to lower the cost of production, and increases the availability of carbon black.
Many of these new products are developed to address specific environmental needs, such as noise absorption or acoustic insulation for commercial applications. These innovations could have a positive impact on a wide variety of industries.
Another innovative application for tires is retreading. Retreading tires is a more sustainable solution than buying new ones because the treads can be changed out and used again.
In addition, retreading can be beneficial in reducing the number of vehicles that require maintenance and repair, and saving companies money. This is especially true if retreading tires are used in fleet vehicles or in off-road vehicles.
Retired tires are being repurposed for industrial mats thanks to a novel partnership in Sudbury between B2B Industrial and reThink Green.
This program allows consumers to drop off their used car and truck tires at two locations — Rainbow Concrete in Sudbury or A1 Blasting Mats in Sturgeon Falls. The company will then haul the tires away for recycling.
The tires are then broken down into a powder that can be mixed with other ingredients to create rubber. These mixtures are then pressed into new products, such as industrial mats or even rubber bricks for acoustic insulation.
This is just one of the new ideas in tire innovation that is taking place around the world. As the global population continues to grow and demand for mobility increases, we need more sustainable solutions that can keep up with this fast-paced growth.
