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The tire recycling machine presents an efficient solution to handling one of the most difficult waste disposal challenges in the world today. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that Americans wear out 290 million tires a year, out of which 233 million get reprocessed. That means that a large number are still ending up in landfills and pose significant environmental, health, and safety hazards.
How does a machine that recycles this work?
A tire recycling machine works by shredding and cutting them to differently sized chips depending on the project the chips will be used for. Because each project uses different hourly tonnages for processing, requires different designs, and produces different end products, each machine is built to the particular needs of the project. For example, shear shredders could produce 2” chips for use in Tire Derived Fuels (TDF) which are sold as burning fuels to cement and steel kilns. Further processing of these chips into granules would require a rasper, which would produce 1/2” wire free rubber that can be painted and used as landscaping material. In order to produce crumb rubber, steel and other materials are removed, leaving a granular material. This material is often used to create surfaces such as playground floors, running tracks, and ball fields.
When they are reprocessed, how are they commonly used?
Thanks to modern research and technology, the use of recycled tires has opened up many markets and innovative applications that help keep the scraps out of landfills and stockpiles. One of the biggest markets is rubberized asphalt, which uses blended ground rubber and asphalt to create road surfaces. This substance provides roads that last longer, cost less, and create shorter breaking distances. Highway sound barriers also use scraps combined with concrete, cement, and water to significantly degrade sound waves while still preserving the aesthetic values and visual appeal of highways. Another popular and innovative way is in making durable railroad ties that are encased in rubber. They are 200% stronger than the traditional wooden ties and have exponentially longer life spans. The market for recycled rubber products continues to expand and is already being used in over 100 new products.
Used tires can be a hazardous waste product that causes air polluting fires, soil and water contamination, and can even serve as a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes. The tire recycling machine is a great example of how technology turns a harmful material into a valuable resource.
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