Recycling Tires Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Recycling Tires - Research Paper Example Tire recycling is also referred to as rubber recycling and it is described as the process of recycling used motor vehicle tires that are no longer fit for use on the vehicles as a result of irreparable damage or wear and tear (Schackelford, p. 1555). Due to their nature, tires are taken to be among the largest type of waste that is most problematic to deal with (Price and Edgar, p. 363). Their problematic nature during recycling is also attributed to the fact that they are produced in large volumes because of the high number of motor vehicles on our roads and due to their durability (Oskamp, p. 160). It is because of these same problematic characteristics of tires that make them to be one of the most commonly reused waste items due to the resilience of rubber that makes it suitable for use in other products (Porter, p. 176). This paper will define the problem of tire recycling in society and propose the possible solutions and treatments to the said problem. The Problem of Recycling U sed Tires Recent studies reveal that approximately one tire is disposed off by one person every year (Price and Edgar, p. 363). As seen in this paper, tires are essentially used in every motor vehicle, ranging from trucks, buses, tractors and cars among others. All these different types of motor vehicles make use of at least four tires, all with varying shapes, forms and sizes (Porter, p. 189). When tires are used for a significant period of time, they become naturally worn out due to the friction with the road and other damages such as punctures (Schackelford, p. 1555). This makes the said tires to be unsuitable for use on the motor vehicles and the need to replace them with new ones arises. The problem comes about with the large number of tires that are being disposed on a continuous basis (Carl, p. 98). According to statistics from population census results in different countries, more and more individuals, families and organizations are acquiring motor vehicles at the dawn of ea ch day (Ackerman, p. 57). With each motor vehicle comes at least four tires that will keep the vehicle running for some time and eventually need disposal and replacement because of the wear and tear that they succumb to. Other statistics also reveal that the number of tires being disposed is reaching threatening levels, especially if not disposed well (Burn, p. 612). With the amount reaching as high as 300 million, an alternative solution has to be sought so as to save the environment from the possible dangers that arise from careless disposal of tires (Porter, p. 112). More often than not, especially in the past years, used tires have been disposed by piling them up in yards or unoccupied fields of land. This normally forms a landfill (Porter, p. 115). In the past years, discarded automobile tires used to be discarded in piles that were usually an eyesore to many people (Carl, p. 28). The same tires would also be a problem because of the fire hazard that they brought to the surroun ding environment. This was before many people had taken environmental protection seriously and did not understand the need to dispose off tires properly (Price and Edgar, p. 364). The Environmental Protection Agency in the United States of America reveals that the number of scrap tires that are generated in the United States alone each year is slightly above 290 million (Price and Edgar,