When you replace your old tyres, do you ever wonder where they end up? Disposing of tyres may seem simple, but there's a complex recycling process that ensures these rubber giants are repurposed in environmentally friendly ways. Let's dive into what happens to your old tyres and how recycling benefits both the environment and industries.
Collection and Sorting
Once your tyres are no longer roadworthy, they are collected from tyre shops, recycling centers, and dumpsites. At this stage, tyres are sorted into categories based on their condition. Some slightly worn tyres may be retreaded and reused, while the majority are earmarked for recycling. The sorting process is the first step in minimizing environmental impact and ensuring that as many tyres as possible get a second life.
Shredding and Granulation
After sorting, tyres are shredded into smaller pieces using industrial machines. These shredded pieces are further processed into granules or rubber powder. Steel and fabric, often embedded in tyres, are separated and sent for recycling. Rubber granules from tyres are widely used in many industries. For instance, they’re used in playground surfaces, athletic tracks, and artificial turf infill. By turning waste tyres into useful products, recycling helps reduce the environmental burden.
Tyre-Derived Fuel (TDF)
Old tyres are often used as fuel in industries that require high heat, such as cement kilns, paper mills, and electric utility boilers. Known as Tyre-Derived Fuel (TDF), this alternative energy source burns cleaner than coal, making it a more environmentally friendly option. TDF reduces the need for fossil fuels and contributes to lower greenhouse gas emissions, making tyre recycling a valuable part of energy production.
Repurposing Tyres for Infrastructure
Recycled tyres play a significant role in construction and infrastructure projects. Rubberized asphalt, made from old tyres, is used to pave roads, providing better durability and noise reduction compared to traditional asphalt. Additionally, tyre chips are used in drainage systems, retaining walls, and erosion control, giving them a second life in building safer and more sustainable infrastructure.
Pyrolysis: Breaking Down Tyres into Valuable Materials
Pyrolysis is an advanced recycling process where tyres are subjected to high heat in the absence of oxygen, breaking them down into reusable materials such as oil, gas, and carbon black. These by-products can be further refined into fuels or used in manufacturing new products. Pyrolysis is gaining attention as a more sustainable way to recycle tyres, reducing landfill waste and creating valuable materials from end-of-life tyres.
Environmental Benefits of Tyre Recycling
Tyre recycling significantly reduces environmental pollution. Old tyres left in landfills pose major hazards, as they take hundreds of years to decompose and can cause fires that emit toxic smoke. Recycling tyres reduces the need for new raw materials, conserves energy, and helps combat climate change by lowering carbon emissions. It’s a win-win for both the environment and industries that benefit from recycled rubber products.
How You Can Help
As a responsible driver, you can contribute to tyre recycling by ensuring your old tyres are disposed of properly. When purchasing new tyres, ask your tyre shop about their recycling programs. Additionally, consider retreaded tyres for your vehicle. These tyres use less raw material and offer similar performance to new ones at a lower cost.
Conclusion
Tyre recycling is a crucial process that turns old, worn-out tyres into valuable materials and energy sources. From playground surfaces to road construction and fuel production, your old tyres have a much bigger role to play even after they’ve been replaced. At EverTyres, we’re committed to eco-friendly practices. When you replace your tyres with us, you can trust that they’ll be recycled responsibly.
Help us keep the planet green – recycle your tyres with EverTyres today!