The world has plenty of cars on the road, with even more tyres that will need to be disposed of eventually. Worse, tyres aren't the kind of things that you can dump in the bin without hurting the environment.
So, as a responsible driver, I’m sure you’ll want to know about tyre recycling and what you can do to help
There are several ways to get rid of your old tyres. You can repurpose them, give them to your tyre dealer when you buy new ones, take them to a recycling facility or ring up a tyre recycling business to take them off your hands. Better yet, recycle those tyres to save landfill space and protect the environment.
Let's take a closer look at everything you need to know to get rid of your old tyres in an environmentally friendly way.
How Do I Get Rid of Old Tyres?
First, let’s look at the broader picture. Recycling your old tyres is undoubtedly an excellent choice to make, but you also have other options before that.
Here are some ways to get rid of your old tyres.
1. Repurpose Old Tyres
If you’re the creative type who doesn’t mind getting your hands dirty, you can turn old tyres into something else useful.
You can cut up those tyres and make a few pairs of flip-flops or turn them into tyre swings for your kids. I’ve seen people use worn-out tyres to make furniture or outdoor physical training equipment.
Remember, your tyres cost you a pretty penny because they’re made of high-quality rubber mixed with other durable materials. Aside from rubber, there are polymers and, in some cases, even Kevlar cord.
The point here is simple. Tyres are round pieces of durable rubber that you can reuse in different ways, depending on your hobbies and interests.
2. Give Them to Your New Tyre Dealer
Whenever you have tyres to get rid of, it’s likely because you’re replacing them with brand new ones. Many tyre sellers will gladly take those old tyres off your hands as part of the service they provide to customers.
Think about it, who else would be better equipped to recycle or dispose of used tyres more than tyre dealers? They're likely collecting plenty of old tyres from all their customers and recycling them in bulk.
One such example is Mobile Tyre Shop which offers to recycle your tyres when you buy new ones. Still, this is just one example. Even if your trusted workshop or tyre dealer doesn’t advertise it, they’ll likely take your old tyres off your hands and recycle them for you.
3. Recycle Your Tyres
Of course, you can also take matters into your own hands by sending those tyres away to be recycled. The best way to do that is search for a local tyre recycling facility. Every city in Australia has at least one of these places.
Since these facilities are properly equipped, you can rest assured that your tyres won't end up in the wrong place. I mean, when you hand your old tyres to a local workshop, are you sure they won’t take them to a garbage dump? So better to take it to a recycling facility yourself.
Any facility that does proper tyre recycling in Australia will break the materials down safely and correctly to manufacture other products. Recycled tyres produce materials that are often used to produce:
- New tyres
- Brake pads
- Playground and sports surfaces
- Flooring
- Road surfaces
- Even outdoor furniture, and many more
How to Find a Tyre Recycling Facility in Australia
There are lots of places specialising in tyre recycling in Australia. First, you could turn to recycling businesses dedicated to old tyres. We’ve covered several of the best ones in our previous article about tyre recycling facilities in Australia.
However, don't forget about your local general-purpose recycling facility either. Many of them do more than taking in paper, plastic, and other recyclables, and may accept old tyres as well.
You can take several steps to find them, such as:
- Asking around your neighbourhood association about recycling programs or facilities
- Calling your local government and asking about tyre recycling
- Doing a simple Google search with a key phrase like “tyre recycling near me”
- Searching automotive directories like Carpart.com.au/directories (Hint: search under Auto Wreckers & Recyclers or Tyres Suppliers & Workshops)
The most important thing to remember is that tyre recycling isn’t rare, so you’ll discover plenty of options when you start to look around for them.
Why Should You Recycle Old Tyres?
At this point, you’ll already know that there’s a lot you can do to reuse and recycle old tyres. But there’s that question, “Why bother?”. Well, as it turns out, you’ll be doing the world a huge favour by disposing of your old tyres the correct way.
Here are some of the top reasons why you’ll want to recycle your old tyres:
- Saving landfill space: Landfill space is limited, no matter where you are in the world. So anything that we do to prevent items from ending up there, including tyres, will go a long way towards freeing up that much-needed space.
- Preventing toxic pollution: Rubber is the primary material used in making tyres, but they're certainly not the only ones. Some materials and chemicals in your tyres might seep into groundwater and cause toxic pollution if dumped without any care. Recycling, at least, keeps this material from poisoning the soil and water.
- Not wasting great material: Your tyres go through a lot of abuse, yet they’re still in one solid piece by the time you replace them. That extremely durable material would be shamefully wasted if it weren’t turned into something else. Remember: just because the tyre is no longer suitable for your car doesn’t mean it can’t offer plenty of value elsewhere.
- Preventing clutter at home: If the reasons above don't appeal to you much, perhaps this one will: Keeping your old tyres serves no other purpose than to clutter up your home. Best to hand them over to someone who can make use of them, don't you think?
So, if you’re ready to practise tyre recycling, check out Carpart.com.au. Use the Directory to find a tyre recycling facility near you or find a tyre dealer that’ll take them off your hands when you fit new ones on your vehicle.
By Ray Hasbollah