Environmental Impact Of Scrap Tires
Environmental Impact Of Scrap Tires
It is time to consider our environmental impact. Businesses who take leadership in this cause will make a significant improvement to our planet.
No longer can companies focus on a single bottom line: profit. We MUST consider the triple bottom line: PEOPLE, PLANET, PROFIT. Tires are scrapped at a rate of 1.1 tire/person/year leading to over 300 million tires scrapped per year. Landfill space is becoming more and more scarce as tires do not biodegrade and have significant negative space.
Fortunately, tires are 100% recyclable. The high quality of steel and rubber found in tires are easily reintegrated into the manufacturing process at very minimal or no change to existing manufacturing processes. Such products using recycled tires have proved to perform better than traditional materials. The global implications of reducing waste tires are many: improved socio-economic justice, reducing landfill, reducing carbon footprint and creating a safer society.
Tires are a breeding ground for mosquitoes - an ever alarming issue.
Tires have potential for tire fires which produce acid smoke harmful to humans and the environment as well as leaves behind a oily residue. Tire fires are not extinguishable and in some instances burn for several weeks.
Tires take up landfill space and as land is becoming more and more scarce, it will lead towards illegal dumping. This drives down home values and causes socio-economic segregation as tires typically are dumped in low income areas.
Tires in landfills have led to worker injury and death. With the amount of negative space in tires, as they are compressed with more waste, they have a tendency to rebound to the surface, leading to tires rolling or falling onto workers.
