What are old tires made of and why should you recycle them?
An old tire is made up of rubber, steel, and fabric. Rubber tires are generally manufactured using synthetic poly-isoprene. It’s this long-chain alkyd resin that makes tire recycling economically desirable as it can be converted into a wide variety of products including carpet backing, pavement sealants, even rubber gloves!
The steel belts inside the tires can also be recovered and used in scrap metal applications or recycled through an EDR (Electronic Discharge Recycling) system to recover copper and other precious metals.
While there are many recyclable materials in a car tire, less than one percent of all tires generated are actually recycled annually. When you consider that over 6 million vehicles reach the end of their useful life each year, it’s easy to understand why there is a huge stockpile of tires waiting for environmentally friendly recycling.
Why recycling old tires is worth your time?
As mentioned above, the materials in an old tire are worth money. A large majority of environmental wastes are not really waste at all – they can be reused or recycled into something useful. The main reason many people don’t put effort into recycling tires is that they don’t know how to go about it or where to take them. It seems like a lot of work just for some extra cash!
Fortunately… this isn’t the case when it comes to recycling old tires. Recycling companies will handle everything, from getting the tires off your hands, to making sure that no hazardous chemicals or pollutants are left behind when the rubber is processed. Just think if you could earn money while doing something good for our environment! Now there’s a win-win situation if you ask us.
Luckily there are plenty of companies that specialize in recycling old tires and materials.
What you can do with old tires?
The process will involve separating the rubber, steel belt from any fabric or other harmful material.
Whether you want to compost your scrap tires and cut them up for quick draining floor tiles or convert them into scented garden planters for your flowerbeds – all it takes is a little effort on your part to recycle all those old tires! Already thinking about how to repurpose those scraps?
Get creative with these ideas:
- Tire Planter- Fill an old tire with dirt, plant vegetables or flowers, attach it securely at the top and let nature take its course.
- Garden Bench- Using two metal bars under the seating area and connecting everything together with screws tighten this DIY bench into an old tire.
- Garden Decor- If you don’t want to leave your tires outside, use them as décor inside your home. Give it a light sanding and then paint or spray-paint the tires in different colors depending on the room’s theme.
- Floor Tile Drainage System- Tires can be cut up and installed underfloor tiles to collect excess water during heavy rainfall or snow meltage. This is also great for outdoor patios where there may be a high buildup of water after rainstorms. Take your scraps and convert them into something unique with these creative ideas!
Recycling old tires is a great way to make some extra money while also doing something good for the environment. There are plenty of companies that specialize in recycling these materials and you can be sure they will take care of everything from getting your old tires off your hands, so don’t hesitate and contact Junk Removal Guys.