Rolling Forever!
They serve you faithfully; taking you places. But there comes a point when they stop rolling and you know its time to say goodbye.
Tyres those irreplaceable car parts, after they are used and retreaded are categorised as ‘scrap tyres’. But what after? Does the utility of tyres diminish? Apparently not, for according to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are at least 110 products that are currently made of materials derived from used tyres!
How is the utility of used tyres ensured? Through recycling. The tyre recycling industry was primarily forged owing to environmental and governmental regulations. The United States and Japan were the first nations to institutionalize this industry to offset the harmful effects of scrap tyres which were being illegally dumped or stockpiled. As tyres were largely being stockpiled, there was a danger of them turning out to be breeding grounds for snakes and mosquitoes. Accidental fires also posed a severe threat with tyres releasing toxic fumes in the air and toxins into the soil contaminating the ground water. Since better alternatives had to be arrived at, regulations were imposed by national governments on the treatment of scrap tyres.
There are various ways in which tyres are recycled. With the use of chemicals, they are either crushed or de-constituted. The main end-markets for scrap tyres are tyre-derieved fuel, civil engineering applications, ground rubber applications and cut, punched and stamped rubber products. Recycled tyre products are used by a large number of industries like the cement, paper/pulp and engineering industry. The usage of recycled tyres is also varied – from being used in playgrounds as rubber mulch to provide padded surface for kids in the playground, to being used as a substitute for gravel.
If you have a spare tyre and are wondering what to do it with, make arrangements for it to be sent to a tyre recycling plant near you or don that creative cap and go berserk! For there are a zillion things you can do with spare tyres! Cut out the tyre to make tyre planters for your garden. These act as great pots for vegetation that thrive in the heat as tyres are known for their property of retaining heat. But ensure you don’t grow edible vegetation as tyres release various chemicals in the heat making the vegetables toxic. If ‘unconventional’ is what defines you, leave behind branded footwear, create your own label of tyre sandals! They are cheap, easy and durable!
Don’t worry even if you have multiple tyres at your disposal, they can be clubbed together to make compost bins or utilised in making patio furniture lend that rubbery look to your house. Tyres also can be heaped one upon another to create retaining walls in your backyard. Tyre sculptures are another interesting art form you can try your hand at to make the best of that spare tyre! If you are too lazy to try any of these, simply tie a tyre to a tree branch and swing on!
For all their uses, tyres sure keep rock n roll’ng forever – both on the road and off it!
