There’s a common perception the tires we put on our vehicles are made of rubber, a renewable resource. Unfortunately, well over 90% of all tires are made from synthetics – and they have certainly proved to be an environmental headache.
Once tires have reached the end of their serviceable lives, they tend to be dumped in huge piles. If these piles should be set alight, the smoke is an extraordinarily toxic cocktail and the runoff from melted residue can contaminate groundwater.
Tires left sitting around in the open also collect rainwater and become perfect breeding grounds for mosquitos.
In the USA, about 300 million tires are scrapped or dumped per year. While there’s been a lot of talk about recycling tires, 25% still wind up in landfills and nearly half of reclaimed tires in the USA are utilized as “Tire Derived Fuel” (TDF), usually burned alongside other fuels such as coal.
Burning tires creating huge amounts of air pollution, containing toxins such as:
– benzene (carcinogen)
– lead
– polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
– butadiene (central nervous system damage, carcinogen)
– styrene (potential carcinogen)
– dioxins
– furans
So unfortunately, taking tires to recycling centres mightn’t be that earth friendly after all. Check with the centre that you go to regarding what happens to the tires they collect.
Read Tips on extending tire life at Green Living Tips: