Recycle Tires Near Me
Ever wonder what happens to your old tires after you’ve paid the garage the disposal fee? Maybe you want to dispose of your old tires yourself, but you’re not sure what the proper procedure is. And is there a difference between tire disposal and tire recycling? Below is a complete guide to recycling your old tires to keep your tire maintenance as green and eco-friendly as you can. Ill also share my experience from when I recycle tires near me and other options you have.
Where to Recycle Tires Near Me – Find a Local Tire Recycling Location
If you are looking for “tire recycling near me” or “where to recycle tires” that map below shows your best local options.
Alternatively you can search for “tire recycling near me” or “where to recycle tires near me” in Google and Yelp. This will curate a list of places who can take in your worn out rubbers.
Where Should I Take My Tires When I’m Ready to Dispose of Them?
It can be a challenge to find an eco-friendly way to dispose of your used tires. Most waste haulers won’t take them, so leaving them curbside for garbage collectors won’t do the job. However, there are a number of recycling organizations that will do at-home pick-ups for recyclable items.
Since tires are so difficult to dispose of properly, some organizations even specialize in eco-friendly tire disposal. Still more organizations have designated spaces for you to drop off your tires. Whether you have your tires picked up or dropped off there is usually a fee involved.
You can use the localized map above to find a recycling organization that will take old tires. Once you’ve found the right place you can arrange a pick-up or drop-off. Keep in mind, some US states require a special license to haul a large number of tires. If you’re only dropping off two or three that you’ve just had replaced, that shouldn’t be an issue.
Is There a Difference Between Tire Disposal and Tire Recycling?
Yes, and it’s a very important one. For a long time, old tires have been a highly problematic source of waste. There are so many worn tires being disposed of every year in almost every country they can pile up significantly in landfills.
Tires are built to be incredibly durable, which is good while they’re in use, but problematic when they are no longer useful. It takes a very long time for them to deteriorate. Many of the materials used to make tires are ecologically problematic and non-biodegradable. Until a greener solution is discovered that guarantees the same level of driveability, is an unfortunate necessity.
Often, “tire disposal” simply means dumping your old tires in a landfill. There they will quickly become buried under a non-biodegradable mountain of other waste tires. Fortunately, there is another option – choosing to have your old tires “recycled” instead. Rather than just dumping the waste materials, recycling tires means breaking down the old tires into materials that can be reused in the making of other products.
Can I Recycle Any Kind of Tire?
While different tires are made of different chemical compounds different tire types are all able to be recycled. This includes car, truck, motorcycle, tractor, ATV, and other types of tires and rubber.
What is the Process of Recycling Tires Near Me
The main process of tire recycling involves disassembling the tire or breaking it down into its base materials. The two main chemical procedures used in tire recycling are pyrolysis and devulcanization. Pyrolysis is the process of chemically decomposing raw materials by exposing them to extreme temperatures. Devulcanization is a reversal of a chemical process used to harden rubber.
These processes can be long and chemically involved, but the eventual result is that what was once a tire becomes bits of rubber, steel, and other raw materials. These materials can then be melted down and reshaped for use in the making of other products.
The rubber from recycled tires can be used in a variety of products. This includes casters, lawn mower wheels, toys, rubber bands, engine belts, and even asphalt! Recycled tire materials can also be used in fuel, cement manufacturing, and are useful for various civil engineering projects. There is another common tire recycling practice that grinds the old tires down into tiny granule. These are used in mulch and filler to pad the artificial turf on athletic fields and playgrounds.
Are There State Regulations for Tire Recycling Near Me?
Yes. 48 of the fifty states have regulations specifically related to tire recycling. Of course these laws vary from state to state. There are some common areas of tire recycling that tend to come under legal scrutiny.
The most common regulation relates to fees. Since many recycling organizations are state funded, there are laws regarding how much can be charged for used tires to be recycled by the state. Many states require a special license to haul a large number of tires all at once,. What constitutes as a “large number” also varies by state. So before you go around to your neighbors and volunteer to take their used tires, make sure you check your state’s policy on tire hauling.
Another common regulation is about managing the market development activities of recycling organizations. Finally, many states have regulations governing manifests for shipments of used tires. These last twp are not something you have to worry about too much.
What is the Environmental Impact of Recycling Tires?
There are over 1 billion tires deemed useless yearly around the globe. Around 249.4 million scrap tires were generated in the U.S. in 2017. Letting tires sit in landfills has a number of negative consequences for the environment.
The first is called “leaching.”. Tires contain various heavy metals and carcinogenic chemicals that, if leached into the environment, can poison the soil and cause genetic mutations in the local plant life. Landfill overcrowding is a serious environmental concern that continues to plague countries globally. For this reason, many countries have made it illegal to dispose of old tires this way. It’s mainly for this reason that your local trash collectors won’t take your tires if you leave them out on the street. At the landfill near me, there is a rule that they don’t take any tires at all.
A common use for recycled tires is in fuel. This is because many of the chemical materials used to make tires are extremely flammable. This makes old tires a serious fire hazard if they are left to decompose, especially since chemical fires can be very difficult to extinguish. Old tires can also pose an ecological pest threat. Because of their round, hollow shape, tires easily collect rainwater. This standing, stagnant water can quickly become a breeding ground for disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes.
Alternative Options to Recycle Tires Near Me
As mentioned earlier disposal implies dumping in a landfill, recycling implies re-usability. If you were looking for tire disposal near me, here are some other better options…
Retread Old Tires
Retreading is the process of replacing the tread, or sole, of the tire to extend its lifespan. This is legal and depending on where you go or how much time you spend driving, can be cheaper than buying new tires. There does come a point though when tires are simply too old to be retreaded safely. Retreading isn’t a permanent alternative to recycling. However, retreading takes as little as 20% of the energy used in recycling. So in the long term, it’s a much more sustainable option than continuously buying and recycling tires.
There is no official age at which tires become too old to retread, for the simple reason that wear and tear have a much bigger impact on the life of a tire than years. A young tire that’s well-worn is much less likely to be retreadable than an old tire that’s only seen standard wear. If you are considering retreading your tires, the question you should be asking yourself is not how old the tire is, but how worn. You can find your local retreaders here.
Sell Your Used Tires
The best place to sell used tires that are still driveable, is online. Used tires online typically go for about $75 a tire. There are a variety of websites for selling old tires, including Craigslist and Sell My Tires. You can also find local places who buy used tires.
Selling tires that are still able to be driven is much more sustainable than simply dropping them off to be recycled because you have no more use for them. You can also sell used tires to a local used tire shop. They still need to at least be retreadable, but again, it’s a way to both make a bit of money and save the energy it would take to recycle a tire that’s still driveable.
If your tires are worn, but retreadable, you can also sell them to a retreading facility like AA Tire and Wheel or Corporate Tire. These places will typically pay about $40 per tire. Some will even take tires that are not repairable and recycle them for you.
And, of course, the best place to sell tires you can no longer drive on is a tire recycling center. Going through a recycling organization is much more convenient, but it will mean that you have to pay for pick-up and drop-off. Going directly to the recycling center itself, on the other hand, means that you can collect the money for your tires and know for sure that they are being disposed of in an eco-friendly way.
How Much Money Can I Make from Selling Used Tires?
Online is typically more lucrative than in-person. You can make almost $80 a tire online, especially if they don’t have much wear and tear. The sites where you stand to make the most money for your tires are Craigslist and Sell My Tires. There are plenty of other marketplaces online where you could stand to cash for used tires.
Selling your tires to a local tire shop is a little less lucrative, but can be a lot more convenient. A tire shop will typically pay around $50 a tire, but it does depend on how worn the tire is and whether or not it will have to be retreaded. You’ll make about the same amount of money by selling to a retreading facility, so it really depends on which is more convenient for you. Unfortunately, the place that will pay the least for used tires is the recycling facility itself, but it’s your only option if your tires are so worn that they are no longer safe to drive on.
Recycle Tires Near Me – Conclusion
Tires present a concerning eco-hazard when they are simply dumped in landfills. Since they are made of non-biodegradable and toxic materials, they can poison the soil and leach carcinogens into the groundwater if they are left to sit and decompose. Tires also present a serious fire hazard because they contain flammable chemicals. They are also a pest hazard because of their tendency to collect rainwater which attract rodents and insects. Because of this, it’s illegal in most countries for waste haulers to collect tires. Even if you are not concerned about the environment, you may face legal penalties if you don’t choose to recycle your tires or improperly dispose of them.
Fortunately, it’s very easy to recycle your tires. You can sell old tires that are still drivable and reuse tires for a variety of projects. If your tires are old but not too badly worn, you can have them retreaded, extending their lifespan. There are a variety of recycling organizations that, for a fee, will pick up your old tires and dispose of them for you, and if you decide to make the drive out to the recycling facility yourself, you can even make a bit of cash. That’s what I have learned from tire recycling near me.