Too long old tires were stacked. In 1990, only 11% of old tires were recycled to end-use markets. However, with the growth of tire recycling programs, by 2017, end-use markets consumed 81.4% of scrap tire production.
If you are considering what outlets are available for machined tires, the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has identified the best end-use markets for scrap tire rubber as follows:
Tire-derived fuel (TDF): TDF generates more heat than coal of similar weight. Therefore, TDF provides an attractive and clean alternative to coal for use in cement kilns, pulp and paper mills, and electric boilers. In 2017, the TDF market consumed 106 million scrap tires, accounting for more than 43% of annual US scrap tire production.
Milled rubber applications: Milled rubber is produced by grinding scrap tires into small pieces of different sizes. Popular applications include rubber mats, landscape mulches, rubber products and mats, and rubber-modified asphalt. Ground rubber made use of 62 million scrap tires in 2017, accounting for more than 25% of scrap tire production.
Civil engineering: Screed tires are becoming more popular as a substitute for sand or clay in road and landfill construction, landfill cover, cesspool sites, and many other construction jobs. 19 million tires were used in civil engineering applications in 2017, about 7.9% of the total.
Other markets: Other scrap tire opportunities include electric arc furnaces, professionally designed tire bales, and products punched, stamped or pressed from scrap tires. These activities account for about 7.4% of production. one
With so many selling points for smashed tires, this could be an exciting business opportunity for you.
