Tires, Tires, and More Tires
Let’s start with a fact – Tires do not decompose easily. They take hundreds of years to decompose. If they are not disposed of properly, tires become a significant environmental hazard. Improperly discarded tires can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, rodents, and other pests, leading to serious public health problems. Additionally, old tires are unsightly and can take up valuable space, reducing the aesthetic appeal of your home, business, and community. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Tires contain valuable materials that can be reused or repurposed. Recycling tires helps conserve natural resources such as rubber, steel, and other materials used in their production. By extracting these materials through the recycling process, we reduce the need for new raw materials, leading to a more sustainable use of resources.
Common ways tires are repurposed to conserve natural resources are:
- Sport surfacing
- Rubber mulch
- Asphalt
- Playground surfaces
- Athletic tracks
- Other molded products
- Punched and stamped items
- Speed bumps and humps
- Shock-absorbing pads for machinery
- Garbage containers
Another way tires are recycled is with the manufacturing of recycled steel. Old tires contain steel wires to strengthen the rubber. Steel wire is removed from tire shreds and recycled into new steel products. This can be seen right here in Arkansas. Local steel mills, like the ones in Northeast Arkansas, use your recycled tires in their steel recycling process. Visit TiresBeGone.com for locations and information on how you can recycle your worn-out tires.