Newsletter and Technical Publications
<Municipal Solid Waste Management>
Sound Practices
Special wastes
1.7.4 Tires
Sound practices for handling tires
- Reuse through retreading for extended service; shredding and
grinding for use in road paving material; and cutting them up for use
as padding in playgrounds and buffers on railway tracks. It should be
noted that processing of tire materials must be done under controlled
conditions as it generates dust and buffings, which may be
carcinogenic to workers and are potentially dangerous when released.
- Thermal destruction in cement kilns with consequent energy
recovery. This system requires adapting cement kilns to receive solid
fuels. However, once this is done, this form of final disposal of
tires has shown to be practical in developing countries.
- Processing in pyrolytic ovens. Emissions control systems are
critical as organic vapors are generated. As a result, the process can
be relatively expensive and will become cost-effective only when the
accumulation of tires becomes hazardous due to potential fires or
expensive due to conflicting land use.
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Few auto tires currently reach dump sites in most developing
countries, but the situation may change with the great increase in
vehicles.
(credit: Chris Furedy) |
Used tires pose a dilemma for even the most sophisticated MSWM system. Tires
consist of complex polymeric materials with a high chemical value added; the
recovery of this value added in any form is both energy- intensive and
hazardous. Stockpiles of used tires can easily and rapidly grow, creating not
only land use problems but also environmental hazards. Stockpiles can
self-ignite and create long-lasting fires resulting in negative human health
impacts.
When tires are landfilled, they often rise to the top and make it difficult
to maintain the soil cover over the wastes.
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