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Markets/Uses
Bulldozer Pushing Scrap Tires
Scrap Tire Markets
The 3 largest scrap tire markets are: Other applications include:Both recycling and beneficial use of scrap tires has expanded greatly in the last decade through increased emphasis on recycling and beneficial use by state, local and Federal governments, industry, and other associations.
Unfortunately, even with all of the reuse and recycling efforts underway, not all scrap tires can be used beneficially. More information on scrap tire disposal.
Whole Tires and Cut, Stamped, and Punched Products
Scrap tires may be recycled by cutting, punching, or stamping them into various rubber products after removal of the steel bead. Products include floor mats, belts, gaskets, shoe soles, dock bumpers, seals, muffler hangers, shims, and washers.
Whole tires may be recycled or reused as highway crash barriers, for boat bumpers at marine docks, and for a variety of agricultural purposes.
For additional information on reuse and recycling of scrap tires, see:
- Comprehensive Procurement
Guidelines (CPG)
The site includes EPA's list of designated products and the accompanying recycled-content recommendations. In order to find out some of the products that can be made from recovered scrap rubber, review the appropriate product guidelines such as floor tiles and patio blocks, playground surfaces, running tracks, and retreaded tires.
- Environmentally
Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
This Web site includes an online searchable database of environmental information for environmentally preferable products including tires and products made from recycled tires.
- Product
Stewardship/Extended Product Responsibility: Vehicles
Product stewardship is a product-centered approach to environmental protection. Also known as extended product responsibility (EPR), product stewardship calls on those in the product life cycle-manufacturers, retailers, users, and disposers-to share responsibility for reducing the environmental impacts of products.
Reuse-Retreading
Another market for scrap tires is retreading. Retreading involves removing the outside, or tread, of the tire and adding a new tread. Retreading saves millions of gallons of oil each year, because it takes only 7 gallons of oil to retread a used tire compared to 22 gallons to produce a new tire.
Retread tires not only offer considerable environmental and economic benefits, but they also provide quality, comfort, and safety comparable to that of new tires.
The Tire Retread Information
Bureau 
estimates that about 24 million tires are retread and sold each year in
the U.S. and Canada, combined. The Rubber Manufacturing Association
estimates that in the US, about 16 million scrap tires were retreaded in
2001. Most are used by the trucking, aircraft, construction, and
agriculture industries, and on US government vehicles. Benefits of
retreading are that it:
- Saves resources by requiring 70% less oil for production.
- Contains 75% post-consumer material.
- Costs 30% to 70% less than making a new tire.
- Saves landfill space.
The 290 million scrap tires generated in 2003 do not include the 16.5 million scrap tires that were retreaded.
Pyrolysis
Another potential use for scrap tires that has been considered by many, is a chemical process that breaks tire material down into usable products including oil, gas, and carbon black through pyrolysis. Although carefully studied for over 10 years, tire pyrolysis has not been shown to be commercially viable. More information on tire pyrolysis.
