Disposal of used tyres

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David F
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Joined: 1 Mar 2011, 9:25pm

Disposal of used tyres

Post by David F »

Has anyone found a "green" way of disposing of worn or damaged tyres? There must be something better than just putting them out with general household waste. I'm sure some people put them to other uses but that's not what I'm asking, I want to find a way to get my discarded tyres into an appropriate recycling stream.
Thanks for any suggestions.
David F
nomisp
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Location: Hertfordshire

Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by nomisp »

Hi. Mine go the local recycling centre and are put with the car tyres after all bike tyres are much the same construction. Nomisp
Mike Sales
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by Mike Sales »

nomisp wrote:Hi. Mine go the local recycling centre and are put with the car tyres after all bike tyres are much the same construction. Nomisp

I've googled Nomisp but found no explanation.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Mike Sales
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by Mike Sales »

Mike Sales wrote:
nomisp wrote:Hi. Mine go the local recycling centre and are put with the car tyres after all bike tyres are much the same construction. Nomisp

I've googled Nomisp but found no explanation.


Edit. Now I see. Blush.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
thirdcrank
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by thirdcrank »

nomisp wrote:Hi. Mine go the local recycling centre and are put with the car tyres after all bike tyres are much the same construction.


Do they charge for bike tyres? Around here, it seems that car tyre dealers charge a fee for environmental disposal and vast tyre dums are created which in due course have a huge unexplained blaze. I suppose there must be some bona fide recycling which never makes the news because it's not spectacular news.
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by Bmblbzzz »

I have no idea, but I'd like to know. I have in the past either put them out with general rubbish or cut them into pieces to use as boots (which I've never since needed). I know some people turn them into belts or jewellery or maybe furniture.
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mjr
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by mjr »

thirdcrank wrote:
nomisp wrote:Hi. Mine go the local recycling centre and are put with the car tyres after all bike tyres are much the same construction.


Do they charge for bike tyres?

Not in Norfolk. It's one small way the county council does actually reward cycling.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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rjb
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by rjb »

Local firm recycle truck tyres into rubber flooring for use in children play areas. http://star-rubber.co.uk/home/3299358. :wink:
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
JohnW
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by JohnW »

David F wrote:Has anyone found a "green" way of disposing of worn or damaged tyres? There must be something better than just putting them out with general household waste. I'm sure some people put them to other uses but that's not what I'm asking, I want to find a way to get my discarded tyres into an appropriate recycling stream.
Thanks for any suggestions.
David F

Well, in Dewsbury, they dump car/small van tyres on the Spen Valley 'Green'way! It must be most frustrating for Sustrans and the greenway ranger. The most recent deposit came complete with steel wheels.

The fact that this has happened, and happens on country lanes and tracks throughout the country does seem to highlight a lack of a system.
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horizon
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by horizon »

AFAIK they cannot be recycled, even if they are collected and even if there is no charge for disposal. When I say cannot, I mean are not. Although there is no straightforward way to reuse the content or the complete tyre, car tyre recycling does exist and it's hard to see why bicycle tyres cannot be included in this.

At this stage I do not know exactly what is meant by "environmental disposal" of a car tyre, even though you do pay for it. However there are tyre processing plants (but not in the UK?) so some form of car tyre recyling goes on and might be theoretically possible for bicycle tyres.

They may perhaps be used as cement plant fuel but I don't know if there is an established route for this.

This is quite a good overview of the problem:

https://www.brookes.ac.uk/eie/waste/inf ... airers.pdf

The bad news in the report (apart from the lack of recycling) is that where tyres were "recycled", the author was unable to verify how and by whom with obvious implications. The good news is that old tyres are a problem for retailers so that might eventuality put some pressure on someone to come up with a solution.

This is Wikipedia on car tyre recycling:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_recycling

Just to add, that since landfill is now coming to an end and most waste if not recycled is incinerated, the tyres provide a quite good energy source for electricity generation, especially as it is to be hoped that the tyre was well used and not simply like one trip packaging. The other side to this is that much of the tyre will have been distributed on urban and country roads during its life (hence the need for recyling what is left of it) and this in itself is a growing cause for concern along with other vehicular waste products.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by Bmblbzzz »

horizon wrote:The bad news in the report (apart from the lack of recycling) is that where tyres were "recycled", the author was unable to verify how and by whom with obvious implications. The good news is that old tyres are a problem for retailers so that might eventuality put some pressure on someone to come up with a solution.

I'd imagine shops put old tyres out for collection with their general rubbish. And whatever they do with them, it doesn't necessarily help those of us who fit (and remove!) our own tyres.
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horizon
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by horizon »

Bmblbzzz wrote:
horizon wrote:The bad news in the report (apart from the lack of recycling) is that where tyres were "recycled", the author was unable to verify how and by whom with obvious implications. The good news is that old tyres are a problem for retailers so that might eventuality put some pressure on someone to come up with a solution.

I'd imagine shops put old tyres out for collection with their general rubbish. And whatever they do with them, it doesn't necessarily help those of us who fit (and remove!) our own tyres.


I was clutching at straws but it is true to say that if retailers have a larger problem then something might get done - after all they have to pay for rubbish removel. less I presume for recycling. And who knows, maybe they will even have a pang of conscience about it or use it as PR. Once the band wagon is rolling and the recycling channel extablished, the rest of us can climb on.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
ratherbeintobago
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

Post by ratherbeintobago »

Council recycling centre here (Rochdale) - no charge and in with the old car tyres.
PeterBL
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Re: Disposal of used tyres

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