It is estimated that over 290 million tires from cars and trucks are thrown away by Americans every year. About 55 million of these tires are either taking up space in our landfills or are being thrown illegally on the side of the road or onto private properties. When you throw away used tires they become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and rodents, and many of these creates carry diseases.

Since children like to play with discarded tires, this makes it a recipe for disaster. Many people also try to burn their tires, and these fires can last for months, releasing toxic chemicals into the air that can also run off into our water sources. The best way to stop these discarded tires from carrying disease and toxic chemicals is to become involved in tire recycling.

What is tire recycling?

Tire recycling is the process of recycling old tires that can no longer be used efficiently by vehicles into other types of products. In 1989 only about 10% of tires were recycled, but in 2003 over 80% of tires were sent to scrap tire recycling facilities. The market for scrap tires is increasing in demand, so to keep it successful you need to do your part to prevent tires from polluting our environment.

What can recycled tire parts be used for?

There are many new products that can be made from used tires:

• Bottom of sandals
• Backfill for walls and bridges
• Stall mats
• Roof pads
• Fuel
• Rubber-modified asphalt for roads and athletic tracks
• Shower tiles
• Commercial flooring
• Carpet padding
• Speed bumps

The best thing about recycling tires is that they can be retread. This means that the old tread is buffed away and a new tread is put on the tire so it can be used again on an automobile. To learn more about tire retreading you can visit the Tire Retread Information Bureau website.

What are the benefits of tire recycling?

Here are some benefits of recycling tires:

• Conserves landfill space
• Prevents the spread of disease from mosquitoes and rodents
• Reduces energy that would be used to create new tires
• Creates less toxic chemical emissions
• Provides new tires
• Decreases illegal dumping practices

Recycling old tires helps us create more useful products that can benefit our homes, businesses and schools.

How can I find a scrap tire recycling facility near me?

Every state has its own laws and regulations about scrap tire recycling. You can find out about your specific state’s scrap tire laws by visiting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Laws/Statues page.

If you recycle your old tires you are helping to preserve the environment and to maintain your health standards. To learn more about scrap tire recycling you can visit the Rubber Manufacturers Association website.