Did you know there have been at least twelve enormous tire flares (fires) worldwide to date—including in the USA? These piles of burning rubber negatively impact the environment significantly.
Instead of piling tires into landfills, government agencies encourage people to dispose of car tires responsibly. If your is car tire pressure failing or you have a puncture, don’t just focus on what kind of new tire you want to buy. Think about how you’ll get rid of your old ones.
Read on to find out what to do.
Repurpose Them
A car tire is made of petroleum products like synthetic rubber, nylon, and polyester combined with other natural materials like silica and steel.
This makes them highly durable. As such, people have been getting creative with tires pretty much since they were invented, crafting things like:
- Garden planters
- Outdoor artworks
- Tire swings for children
- Exercising
- Playground equipment
Good quality tires are so popular for repurposing that you can sometimes find them on sites listing used auto parts for sale!
Recycle Them
If your car tire pump is no longer working to pump up your tire, it might be time for new wheels! This means you’ll need to find a way to discard your old ones. And one of the best ways is by dropping them off at a recycling center.
The tires are shredded and recycled into everything from road asphalt and landscaping mulch to fuel. Whole tires are sometimes used as a breakwater at ports or along river mouths.
Drop Them at a Gas Station or Auto Repair Shop
Some auto-focused places, like gas stations and auto repair shops, offer a drop-off service for old and cheap car tires. They take them to a nearby tire recycling company, collecting a small payment for the service.
Sometimes, they’ll take your tires for free. Other times, you may have to pay a small fee.
Exchange Them
Your final option for getting rid of tires for your car is exchanging them for new ones.
Some companies, like (again) auto shops, offer an exchange service. You visit the auto shop to replace your tires, and instead of taking the old tires home with you, you leave them at the auto shop. The auto shop gives you a discount for buying their new tires and leaving your tires with them—essentially, an exchange.
Later, as mentioned above, the auto shop sells the old tires to a recycling center.
Be Careful With Old Car Tires
Car tires are big pieces of household debris, so it’s understandable you might be confused about how to dispose of them. What’s more, most municipal authorities prohibit tires from being collected with general household waste.
Thankfully, there are many other ways to get rid of tires. The most responsible is to take them to a recycling center or join an exchange program. You can even get creative and use them in your garden or as playground furniture!
For more advice on being a responsible car owner, read the other articles in our blog.
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