How To Dispose of Car Tyres - Recycling Tyres UK
Approximately 1 billion tyres reach the end of their life every year. In 2002, whole tyres were banned from landfill sites across the UK. This has led to the recycling of almost 100% of waste tyres.
Recycling helps to conserve resources, save money and reduce negative environmental impacts. It’s also legally the responsibility of the consumer; you must dispose of waste tyres through the correct channels. That’s why it’s handy to know how to recycle tyres when the time comes for you to get new ones.
Protecting the environment
Tyres are inherently combustible and can cause harm to people and the environment by releasing noxious chemicals and hazardous waste into local ecosystems. That’s why waste managers are legally required to take measures to ensure proper storage to reduce fire risk.
Recycling tyres protects some of the world’s natural resources and reduces chemical pollution.
Common uses for recycled tyres
Tyres from any manufacturer, whether premium brands such as Pirelli or mid-range options from Sumitomo, are composed of a mix of steel, rubber, textiles, oils and chemicals, which are notoriously difficult to recycle. In most cases, rubber can be incinerated to produce manufacturing energy or broken down and reconstituted for use in new products. Alternatively, end-of-life tyres are commonly granulated to retrieve the various materials within the individual tyre.
Scrapped tyre materials can be used in a variety of industries. End-of-life tyres can be channelled into four potential end-use categories: re-treading, re-use, energy recovery and recycling.
Need new tyres? Buy online at Protyre and save £££s!
Protyre stock a wide range of Premium, Mid-range and Budget tyres to suit any requirement with same day fitting available on many options. Click the button below to browse our selection.
Re-treading is the process of remoulding recycled tyres to give them a new lease of life. However, there are very mixed views on this process and most reputable tyre retailers will not sell re-treads because there are inherent safety issues such as hidden damage to the tyre's structure, together with invisible wear.
Elements of scrap tyres can be re-used in construction and civil engineering materials, or used as a material in roads, sound-proofing bridge foundations and more.
Through pyrolysis, tyres can generate gas and oil in cement kilns and paper mills to help reduce harmful industrial emissions. Rubber from tyres can also be shredded and ground into crumb rubber, which can be used in a variety of products. Crumb rubber can serve a number of purposes, including playground flooring, carpet underlay, asphalt for road surfaces, speed bumps, running tracks, vehicle mudguards and more.
Years of experience tell us that tyres cannot be disposed of via household waste or landfill because it is potentially hazardous, which is why it’s important to dispose of them correctly. Only legally registered waste carriers are permitted to dispose of tyres, so be sure to check for the license of any company that offers to take them off your hands.
Did you know?
Protyre offer free tyre checks at all of our garages. Click the button below to book your vehicle in and let our technicians advise on the best tyres for you.
Not sure if your tyres have reached their end-of-life and are ready to be recycled? Why not book a free tyre check from our tyre professionals here at Protyre and let our qualified fitters assess the situation.
If your tyres require replacement, we will take care of the recycling for you.