Who Buys Recycled Rubber?
Manufacturers use recycled rubber in the production of several rubber goods. According to Hanna Sistek of Green Tech, recycled rubber is used in paints, shoes, plastics, carpets and tires. Recycled rubber generally yields rubber chunks or rubber powder used in a wide variety of goods. Recycled rubber is even a fuel source.
Other People Are Reading
-
Recycled Rubber Highways
-
Jane Kay of the San Francisco Chronicle states that highway pavers in California, Arizona and Texas use recycled rubber as a highway surface additive. Melted rubber increases the flexibility of asphalt and results in roads that withstand ground movement and cracking better than traditional asphalt.
Recycled Rubber Playgrounds
-
Many plastic playground equipment and rubber mulches contain or are exclusively manufactured from recycled rubber. Chunks of rubber used as mulches provide soft surfaces for falling children and contain far less off-gassing chemicals than most traditional mulch. Kay reports that playground equipment manufacturers in Florida use recycled rubber contents in their goods.
-
Recycled Rubber Fuels
-
Power plant and cement kiln operators in the Midwest use recycled rubber products as fuels, according to Kay. Rubber as a fuel source is a hot-button issue in many areas of the U.S., as alternative fuels are necessary to supplement high coal demands, but rubber and coal fuels are generally harmful to air quality, as they release toxins and carcinogens when incinerated. Many current air-filter requirements attempt to alleviate this environmental danger as much as cost and current technology allows.
Recycled Rubber Eco-Friendly Fashions
-
Many companies manufacture goods--from purses and messenger bags to clothing--from recycled rubber sources. Recycled rubber fashions appeal to both environmentally friendly and animal-loving people. Recycled rubber goods often replace panels in clothing or luggage that would normally consist of plastics or animal skins. Recycled rubber alleviates the inclusion of harmful rubber waste in landfills.
Recycle Rubber Reduces Oil Used in Tire Manufacturing
-
Sistek reports that one gallon of oil is saved per tire when manufacturers use recycled rubber in automobile tires. Recycled rubber powder is usable for up to 10 percent of the rubber content of a new tire, but just that 10 percent of one tire takes a gallon of oil to make.
-
References
- Photo Credit Recycle Logo The Bigger Picture image by Sophia Winters from Fotolia.com
