Uses for Recycled Tires

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 290 million automobile tires are discarded by Americans every year. Used tires take up space in landfills and can lead to noxious fires that pollute the environment. At least 80 percent of these tires are being recycled and turned into commercially viable products we can all use and enjoy.

Playgrounds

School and park playgrounds can be padded with recycled tires. The tires are shredded and spread like mulch over the playground to act as cushion against accidental injury.

Bed Liners

Recycled tires can be woven into mats and used as truck bed liners. In this form, the rubber mats can be used in animal trailers, utility trucks and boats. They are easily removed, absorb shock, and drain water.

Traction Surface

Tires can be refurbished and fashioned into traction strips. Place recycled traction strips wherever safety requires a non-slip surface, like a warehouse or construction yard.

Fuel Source

Recycled tires are burned as a fuel supplement for power plants and manufacturers of materials we regularly use like cement. Steel mills also burn tires for carbon replacement.

Civil Engineering

Highway barriers and roadside embankments can be made from recycled tires. Construction crews can use tires as shock absorbers and retaining walls for increased safety.

Auto Accessories

Some recycled tires make their way back to other automobiles. Once the recycled rubber is ground and shredded, the used tires make exhaust pipes, brake pads and insulation.

Resources

• Environmental Protection Agency
• Tire Recycling Consultants