What is the best technology for recycling tires?

It’s no secret that rubber tires don’t last forever. In fact, the average lifespan of a car tire is only about four years. And while some tires are made to last longer, eventually all tires will need to be replaced.

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So, what happens to all those end-of-life tires? If they’re not properly recycled, they can end up in landfills where they’ll take up valuable space and release harmful toxins into the environment.

That’s why it’s so important to recycle old tires instead of just throwing them away. But recycling tires isn’t as easy as recycling other materials. That’s because rubber is a complex material made up of both synthetic and natural compounds. As a result, recycling companies have had to get creative in their efforts to find ways to recycle waste tires.

What Are The Existing Technologies For Recycling Rubber And Tires?

As someone who is interested in sustainability and the environment, you might be wondering about the existing technologies for tire recycling. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best recycling method depends on the type and quantity of rubber or tire waste that is available.

However, some common methods of recycling rubber and waste tires include shredding, grinding, pyrolysis, and devulcanization.

Shredding

Shredding is a mechanical process that reduces rubber or tires into small pieces that can then be used as filler in various products like asphalt. This method is often used to recycle waste from manufacturing operations or tire-retreading businesses.

Grinding

Grinding is another mechanical process that can be used to reduce the size of used tire waste. However, unlike shredding, grinding typically results in a finer powder called crumb rubber that can be reused in new products.

Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis is a thermal decomposition process that involves heating scrap tires in the absence of oxygen. This process can be used to generate fuel gases, oils, and char that can be reused or sold.

Devulcanization

Finally, devulcanization is a chemical process that uses solvents or enzymes to break down the cross-links in vulcanised rubber. This process can be used to recycle vulcanised waste back into raw materials that can be used in new products.

 

What Is A Sustainability Policy And How Is It Connected To Recycling Tire Rubber?

A sustainability policy is a document that sets out an organisation’s commitment to sustainable development. It outlines the responsibilities of each member of the organisation in relation to environmental, social, and economic issues. The policy should also set out how the organisation will achieve its sustainability objectives. Tire recycling is one way in which a company can reduce its impact on the environment and contribute to sustainable development.

Used tires are a major source of waste, and they can take up to 500 years to break down in a landfill. Recycling tires helps to reduce this environmental impact and can also provide a valuable resource for other industries. For example, recycled tire rubber can be used in the production of new tires, carpeting, floor mats, and other products. By implementing a sustainability policy and recycling used tires, organisations can make a positive contribution to the environment and the economy.

 

What Is The Carbon Footprint Of Tire Manufacturing And Why Is There A Need For Recycling?

Have you ever wondered how much pollution is produced by making a single tire? The manufacturing process for tires is surprisingly polluting and has a large carbon footprint.

A brief breakdown of the carbon footprint tire manufacturing

Tires are made of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, fabric, steel, and other chemicals. Rubber is the only part of the tire that comes from a renewable resource – trees. The process of turning trees into rubber requires a lot of energy and emits harmful pollutants into the air.

The synthetic rubber used in tires is made from petroleum products which are non-renewable resources. The production of synthetic rubber also emits harmful pollutants into the air. In addition, the process of vulcanizing tires – which gives them their strength and durability – uses sulphur dioxide, carbon black, and other chemicals which are hazardous to human health.

All these steps require a lot of energy to process which results in a large carbon footprint. So, what can be done to reduce the impact of tire manufacturing on the environment? One solution is tire recycling.

 

Why is there a need for tire recycling?

One of the biggest reasons why there is a need for tire recycling is that they take up space in landfills. The average car tire is about four feet wide and two feet tall. That doesn’t seem like much but when you consider that there are about 284 million vehicles on the road in the United States, that’s a lot of space being taken up by tires!

Not to mention the quality of tires required to keep them going for years avoiding on-road and off-road damage, like truck tires or those manufactured for the aviation industry. If we can recycle those tires, it allows landfills some free space to breathe due to the reduction in the number of waste tires. Plus, it’s better for the environment since we’re not burning tires, which according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association, is what happens to most scrap tires.

Tires Recycled into New Products

When you recycle tires, you aren’t just getting rid of them. You are actually creating new products! Tire recycling provides crumb rubber which is used in everything from playground surfaces to running tracks. It’s also used as an infill for artificial turf fields.

This rubber crumb can also be used as an additive in asphalt which gives it more strength and flexibility. Asphalt made with tire crumb lasts longer and is more resistant to cracking and potholes.

Tires Recycled for Better Environment

Another reason to recycle tires is that it helps reduce pollution. Tires are made from petroleum and when they sit in landfills, they can release harmful chemicals into the air and groundwater. By recycling waste tires, we can help reduce this pollution and keep our environment healthy.

Tires Recycled for Boosting Economic Growth

In addition to being good for the environment, recycled tires can also provide a boost to the economy. The process of recycling tires creates new jobs in the industry while also providing a new outlet for recycled rubber and steel.

What’s more, using recycled materials in lieu of virgin materials can help save money while still maintaining product quality. For example, it costs 20 percent less to make a truck tire using recycled steel than it does to use new steel.

When you choose to recycle your old tires instead of just throwing them away, you’re helping to create jobs and support the economy while also doing your part to protect the environment. It’s a win-win for everyone involved!

Tire Recycling is on The Rise

Fortunately, an increasing number of companies are committed to recycling old tires instead of just throwing them away. In fact, about 80% of scrap tires are now being recycled or reused in some way.

The most common method is tire-derived fuel (TDF), which involves grinding up old tires and using them as fuel in cement kilns or paper mills. Shredded tires are used as filler in asphalt or playground surfaces. The benefits of something recycled like rubberized asphalt, a derivative of the process, are tremendous and contribute to sustainability as a whole.

And finally, whole tires can be used to make new products like trailer floor mats or speed bumps.

 

What Are The Trends In Recycling Rubber Tires, Rubber Scraps, And Release Liners?

According to the EPA, approximately 290 million scrap tires are generated in the United States each year. Of these, about 33% are used as tire-derived fuel, 30% are exported, 15% are turned into ground rubber, and 12% are used in civil engineering applications.

With so many scrap tires generated each year in the United States alone, it’s no wonder that recycling rubber has become a big business. In fact, the recycling of rubber tires, scraps, and release liners is a multi-million dollar industry with some surprising trends emerging in recent years. Here are some of the most interesting trends in rubber recycling that you may not know about.

1. More and more rubber is being recycled each year

In 2017, the EPA reported that approximately 79% of waste tires were being recycled or reused. This is up from just 17% in 1990. The increased recycling rate is due to a combination of factors including improved collection methods, advanced processing technologies, and an increase in the number of end-uses for recycled rubber products.

2. Tires are being used to create everything from basketball courts to running tracks

One of the most popular uses for recycled tire rubber is in the construction of outdoor athletic facilities like basketball courts, running tracks, and playgrounds. That’s because tire rubber is durable and can withstand heavy foot traffic and extreme weather conditions. Additionally, tire rubber is often used as an infill for artificial turf fields since it provides a cushion for athletes and helps to absorb impact.

3. Rubber recycling is becoming more energy-efficient

In the past, recycling rubber was an energy-intensive process that required large amounts of water and chemicals. However, new technologies have emerged in recent years that have made rubber recycling much more efficient and environmentally friendly. For example, cryogenic grinding uses liquid nitrogen to freeze tire scrap before its ground into crumb rubber which reduces energy consumption and improves safety during the grinding process.

OTEGO – Committed to Ensuring Sustainability in Manufacturing Release Liners

Sustainable tire recycling requires more than just finding a new use for old tires. It also involves making sure that the recycling process itself is environmentally friendly. That means using energy-efficient methods and avoiding harmful chemicals and pollutants. By taking these steps, we can ensure that tire recycling is truly sustainable.

At OTEGO, we understand that sustainability is about more than just being environmentally friendly. It’s also about creating products that have a positive impact on the people and communities where we live and work.

That’s why we’re committed to manufacturing release liners in a way that is sustainable and responsible. We implement sourcing and manufacturing processes that are sustainable without sacrificing the quality and durability of our products. We also work closely with our partners to ensure that they are following sustainable practices in their own operations. By working together, we can create a supply chain that is truly sustainable from start to finish.

Contact us if you’re interested in partnering with a sustainable company like us for your technical textile needs.

 

Tire recycling is crucial, as the condition of tires gets to the point where you just can’t use them anymore. We call these tires waste tires or end-of-life tires. As the World Business Council for Sustainable Development has evaluated, we generate about one billion of these tires annually.

It is a huge problem for the rubber industry if all that waste rubber is just laying around in landfills. There has to be a patented technology in place for recycling rubber in huge amounts. Several companies have set their aim to develop the most efficient rubber recycling methods.

They are in the search for eco-friendly solutions that turn old tires into premium rubber. The raw rubber goes through a devulcanization process that converts it into material that can be reused in the rubber industry.

Tires in a landfill

This was not always the case according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association. There were huge mountains of scrap tires stored in American landfills in the ’70s and ’80s. Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer high-cost methods. The focus is rather on developing processes that turn waste rubber into high-quality raw material for a low cost.

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Questions You Should Know about Single Shaft Shredder For Sale

There are companies that want to develop sustainable synthetic rubber. Meanwhile, others want to turn waste rubber into close to virgin-quality raw materials. Below, we are going to talk about these technologies and also why recycling is important.

Why Reducing Waste Tires is Important?

Tires release plenty of toxic gasses when burned. But even if they weren’t toxic, they definitely take up a lot of space. Landfills quickly get out of control as scrap tires start to flow in. Also, old tires cause environmental damage over time, by trapping gasses under the ground.

There are millions of waste tires out there every moment. They need to be recycled or reused in order to reduce environmental damage and lower the carbon footprint as a result. Otherwise, it would just accelerate global warming, which already hugely impacts people’s lives.

Waste rubber is a great breeding ground for rodents and insects. If you just leave them on the ground, they will eventually turn into a complete health hazard. Diseases spread by those pests can be very dangerous to both pets and humans.

On the other hand, rubber is highly flammable due to the materials used to make it. They can burn for a long time once they catch fire, releasing various dangerous toxins. The pitch-black smoke and the unbearable smell can cause respiratory distress.

Not to mention that melted tires release numerous chemicals that end up contaminating the water supply below. It can mess up our precious drinking water, which is already endangered or depleted in many places around the World.

What to do with End of Life Tires?

There is a high number of other products that can be produced from rubber or even directly from scrap tires. You can make use of the rubber’s shock-absorbing ability anywhere around the house. For example, it is widely used in children’s playgrounds for teeter-tooters.

Recycling waste rubber is a great way to preserve our planet’s resources. There are technologies that enable us to gain energy from recycled rubber in the form of liquid or gaseous fuel. They can also be reduced to their original elements through various methods.

Then, those elements can be used either to manufacture new tires or to produce something else from rubber. Each new technology in the field of tire recycling helps us better deal with this ecological challenge. We have already taken many steps toward sustainable development as industry experts developed numerous complex methods.

How can old tires be reused?

Old tires make outstanding crafting materials. They can also be reused in road construction, for producing new rubber products, and to produce tire-derived fuel. There are various ways to repurpose them at home as well. People widely use them to create chairs, end tables, ottomans, garden beds, yard art, etc.

Those tires still have the mechanical properties required for certain applications. They can hold gravel, absorb shock, and hold a certain amount of weight. Old whole tires such as truck tires are widely used in gardens for decoration and as seating commodities as well.

Are tires actually recycled?

Before 1980, there were billions of waste tires stockpiled in landfills. Since then, companies have recycled 90% of those into usable rubber. Nowadays, we recycle approximately 80% of scrap tires on an annual basis. This equals 240 million of them every year. You can submit old tires for recycling at many dealer shops.

There are various technologies that either turn used tires into fuel or break them into raw materials. Some of them are more effective, while others leave some byproducts or contaminated rubber materials. In general, we are inching toward technologies that produce carbon black, pure crumb rubber, or rubber powder.

Some of these methods separate the tire’s other components as well, such as metals and polymers. Then, these goods can be used to create new rubber products, maintaining the material cycle with high efficiency.

What can be made by recycling tires?

We can use the ground rubber in end-of-life tires as fuel either through pyrolysis or by burning. This way, we recycle almost all the rubber, which makes these two the most environmentally-friendly methods. Effective recycling is usually about producing secondary raw materials.

Recycled tires

We can reuse the waste rubber and carbon created as a result, in the form of different particle sizes. These methods are all company-based and support an eco-friendly approach to tire recycling. The carbon black produced from some of the methods is close to the quality of virgin carbon black.

Producing raw materials that can be reduced is a huge business that offers a remedy to the alarmingly larger amount of waste rubber produced by the tire industry.

DIY Tire Recycling?

You can actually repurpose tires at home with relative ease. They might not be safe for driving, but that doesn’t mean they are not durable enough for other purposes. Of course, it is also okay to submit them for recycling at the nearest tire dealership or mechanic.

There is a high number of home DIY projects that only require a couple of extra materials. You can turn your old truck tire into a useful item with some ropes and paint, for example. It is a great opportunity to get creative and come up with new stuff that can be used around the house.

Get crafty and use that rubber to upgrade your home or garden, or maybe build something huge out of them for your kids. They are commonly used for teeter-totters, garden stairs, outdoor seating commodities, tire swings, and holiday decorations as well.

The Latest Tire Recycling Technologies

Since the idea of rubber recycling has emerged, people are trying to find the best tire recycling technology. The goal is to develop processes that turn end-of-life tires into valuable crumb rubber, carbon, and steel. We can use these to produce other rubber goods in the rubber industry.

There is a constantly ongoing search for the best technology. Many companies are working on their own eco-friendly patented technology that takes tire recycling to the next level. The goal is to end up with premium carbon and other raw components and to collect valuable data.

Tire recycling technology

Every technology requires the respective company to carefully go through the details and re-iterate certain steps in the rubber recycling process. With this data, they can improve their services and produce rubber that meets the highest standards.

Now, let’s talk a bit about each tire recycling technology that turns end-of-life tires into valuable material.

Pyrum-Thermolysis

The technology called Pyrum-Thermolysis is used to recycle waste tires and plastic through a process that excludes oxygen. A Germany-based company named Pyrum Innovations does this, which owns numerous recycling plants.

The whole process requires Pyrum extracts, which are essential for producing raw materials from waste tires. At the end, they get plastic and rubber in high quantities with high production efficiency. These goods are ready to re-enter the material cycle.

The resulting goods include thermolysis oil and carbon black as well. Pyrum supplies large quantities of its raw components to contractual partners worldwide.

Cryogenic Freezing

The first step of the cyrogenic freezing process is to freeze the tires with liquid nitrogen. Then, they smash the tires into pieces with a hammer mill while being in that solid-state. A huge benefit of this method is that we can easily remove the steel pieces with the help of a strong magnet.

Tires contain other materials as well such as nylon, textile fibers, and polyester that the technoloy can collect using an air classifier. The rest is really just reusable rubber that can re-enter the material cycle. There are plenty of ways to turn them into new products in the rubber industry.

Renewable Tires

Bridgestone and LanzaTech together took a step toward carbon neutrality. They wanted a new, scaled solution for recycling scrap tires. They want to decarbonize the production of new tires while guaranteeing a circular economy.

What this means is they are going to develop a technology that enables them to manufacture their tires from 100% renewable materials. They hope to finish the whole project by 2050 and deal with the waste tire problem with high efficiency.

With their advanced method, they will be able to create sustainable synthetic rubber without having to rely on petrochemicals. They are taking a huge step toward end-to-end material circularity.

No More Metal Contamination

Many new methods revolve around reducing metal contamination in recycled rubber. These processes use magnetic separation to get higher-quality raw materials. For this, all they need to do is to remove the excess metal during certain phases of the recycling process by using a strong magnet.

This is especially important due to the fact that playgrounds and gardens (for gravel substitutes) and various consumer items sell used tires. In those tires, metal contamination can be dangerous. By leaving metal parts like steel wires in the tire, we essentially lose good quality rubber.

This is why multi-stage magnetic separation was invented. By separating rubber goods from metal, we can end up with valuable raw materials from used tires.

Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis is a heat-based technology that breaks down tires into their constituent elements. This all happens in an oxygen-free reactor where they heat up and gradually soften them into vulcanized rubber. The technology can recycle both whole and shredded tires.

In the reactor, the heat eventually reaches a point where polymers start to break down. This is when the tires start to emit molecules in a gaseous form. These gasses are highly valuable, as the technology turns their smaller molecules into fluid fuel via condensation.

Larger molecules burn right away, which is another efficient way to generate power from rubber. Of course, this technology won’t turn the entirety of the tire into fuel. About 40% of the tire components will end up as ash that can be collected afterward.

What does the Future of Tire Recycling Hold?

Companies are constantly trying out new tire recycling methods. A company named Genan conceived one of the tire recycling concepts. This has still in development since 1990. Their idea is to break tires down to their initial raw elements through a highly technological process. Almost all tire types can go through this process.

Two Australian companies, Green Distillation Technologies and CarbonScape, developed another patented technology. They extract the carbon from end-of-life tires and turn it into high-value graphite throughout the recycling process.

The future of tire technologies

Wastefront focuses on generating alternative fuel and ground rubber. They do so by recycling scrap tires into carbon black and liquid hydrocarbons. The company reutilizes them for the production of useful commodities.

RubberJet Valley produces polymers in powder and granule form. Their engineered raw materials are made of waste tires. This way, they offer a replacement for virgin raw materials, such as natural rubber. They use these materials to make new tires.

The list goes on and on, as there are many technologies available for tire recycling. It has become a huge business where each company is on the search for the most effective technology to recycle tire materials. The field itself has evolved a lot in the past couple of decades. With so many companies working on new technologies, we can already foresee a bright future in this regard.

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