Facts About Tires

In the U.S., 920 million tires were used for non-commercial vehicles on the road in 2005, and every year on average, 290 million tires are disposed of. That’s about one tire per person in this country alone. Approximately 27 million tires, or nine percent, are said to be discarded in landfills.

There are several environmental and health concerns when disposing of tires in landfills or in tire stockpiles:

• Many tire stockpiles are burned. This creates heavy black smoke and oily residue on soil. The fires are typically difficult to extinguish due to the oil in the tires.
• Tire stockpiles are suitable breeding grounds for vermin. Tires collect large pools of water, the perfect atmosphere for mosquitoes, which can carry diseases like encephalitis or dengue fever.

Tires are viewed as a one of the most problematic sources of waste. This is mainly due to the high quantities produced and their great durability, prohibiting the tire from breaking down. However, their durability makes reuse and recycling of scrap tires easy. By recycling tires we also reduce the amount of raw rubber needed for manufacturing, saving natural resources like crude oil.

From 1990 to 2003, the total number of scrap tires going to market increased from 11 million to 233 million. Of all the scrap tires discarded today, over 75 percent are recycled or used for fuel or other applications.