Have you ever wondered what happens to your tyres after your car is scrapped? This blog will unpack how Authorised Treatment Facilities – like us at A&L – break down and recycle old car tyres and why proper disposal of car tyres is so important for the health of our environment.
1) Removal
When you scrap your car, the tyres are typically removed before the car is dismantled. They can be removed by hand or by using equipment like hydraulic lifts and tyre changers. The tyres are then inspected to see if they are still in usable condition. If the tyres are worn but still in relatively good condition, they can be retread and reused.
2) Shredding and Granulation
The tyres that are too damaged for retreading or resale are then shredded into small pieces and further granulated to separate the rubber, steel and fabric materials. These materials are then sorted based on their properties and recycled.
3) Recycling
Recycled tyre materials can be used for a wide variety of products. For example, tyres that are shredded into fine rubber particles (called ‘crumb rubber’), can be used in making playground surfaces and sports tracks or melted down to make rubber products like mats and seals. Crumb rubber is also sometimes mixed with asphalt and used to create more durable road surfaces.
In some cases, old tyres can be used as a fuel source for cement kilns and power plants because of their high energy content. This process involves burning the tyres in controlled conditions to produce heat and electricity. While this process recovers energy, it must be done in regulated, high-temperature furnaces to help minimise the harmful substances released.
Why Is Proper Tyre Recycling Important?
While the disposal of car tyres may seem like a small part of scrapping a vehicle, proper recycling of tyres is crucial for protecting the environment. Tyres are made from materials that don’t break down easily in the environment, so when dumped illegally in landfills or outdoor areas and not disposed of properly, they can create significant environmental issues like fires and pollution.
This is why when you scrap your car, it’s important to make sure that the tyres are handled responsibly by professionals at an Authorised Treatment Facility – like us at A&L.
If you have any questions about our tyre recycling process or if you are looking for a quote price for your scrap car, reach out and contact A&L Recycling today.
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