What happens to used tyres?

anandpadhye · 23rd July 2007, 21:53

Friends,

I recently changed all my 5 tyres (they had completed 42000KM).

When i asked the tyre guy what to do with the old ones, he said take them along as he had no use of them. When I asked him what I will do with them and I have to dispose them off anyway, he offered that I could just leave them at his place and go.

Curiously, I asked him what becomes of these tyres in the end and I got different answers (collected from various tyrewallas, one after the other...):

1. Some rubber scrap guy will come and take them away. What he does with them later on, no idea.
2. Tyre retreaders will buy them and retread (though one tyre shopkeeper told me that's only true for tube type not for tubeless).
3. My brother who works in a tractor company told me the rubber scrap guys eventually just burn the tyres to extract the steal out of it.
4. I searched the tyre company websites but no mention of recycling/reclaiming facilities or designated dump grounds.
5. Another friend told me nothing environment friendly is possible of rubber once it's vucunized (and tyres are vulcunized rubber).

Do are the used tyres a BIG BIG BIG environmental hazard?
Another "not much talked about" waste and harm caused by the automobile industry?

I am very sad on knowing this and need some info, suggestions, views to clean my conscience.

Till then I am hating myself for being an automobile lover...
As they say, conscience does not prevent sin. It only prevents you from enjoying it...

Please respond.

iamkapilb · 23rd July 2007, 22:04

One use of used tyres is to make those tyre walls along the racing track

I think the shiny road surface we see nowadays has used tyre rubber in them.

nitrous · 23rd July 2007, 22:06

What happens to used race tyres??
We use them for the track days!

CrAzY dRiVeR · 23rd July 2007, 22:28

Hmmm...

Nice thread. To be frank, never thought this way. I guess some member can answers for all of us.

wolfinstein · 23rd July 2007, 22:35

Let's Mail Respective companies and Ask...! Bridgestone India/ JK Tyre / Apollo / MRF- I'm sure they may respond with some feedback.

xinome · 23rd July 2007, 22:54

this thread has got me thinking, oh i have sinned!

seriously what does happen to these tyres!
over here in tvm people burn tyres everyday near the NH
guys here must have noticed it and the foul smell!

when i asked why they where doing it, they told me "they burn it to kill mosquitoes" i was like what the

and i replied you are killing yourself not the mosquitoe
i left for home wondering why seriosuly why?

please do let us know what happens to these tyres
do they launch it of to space

theMAG · 23rd July 2007, 23:08

Typically they should be recycled. But thats where such facilities exist. Else, like in majority of countries with flexi rules and apathy, they're either chucked in the nearest gutter or as you said used for burning in various applications such as during an unrest etc

esteem_lover · 23rd July 2007, 23:28

My brother changed his wagonr tyres recently. These tyres were 5 years old & the dealer just refused to take possession of the old tyres. He politely declined to take it even if we were to pay him for it. The dealer is quite known to me, i guess it is tough to dispose old rubber.

nitrous · 23rd July 2007, 23:32

Donate the tyres to race-tracks for making tyrewalls!

xinome · 23rd July 2007, 23:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by nitrous

Donate the tyres to race-tracks for making tyrewalls!

after that, then what!

never thought of this good one!

esteem_lover · 23rd July 2007, 23:47

costs a lot of money to donate, my brother just found a neat isolated spot to dump them.

theMAG · 23rd July 2007, 23:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by xinome

never thought of this good one!

Yes. But unfortunately, the Indian tracks : Disposed tyres ratio is small enough that its actually funny

rr_zen · 24th July 2007, 00:44

This article reminds me of my friend who changed all tryes of his M800 and without a second thought hung the used tyres from the compound wall so that they save the car from major damage in an unlikely event of the car banging the wall while it was being parked. And, he always parked the car in a reverse fashion and the used tyres seem to do their new job pretty well now.

That being said, when I changed the tyres for my Honda Civic in the US a few months back, I was charged an extra $12 @ $3 per tyre towards “Tire Disposal Fee”.

vivekiny2k · 24th July 2007, 00:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by rr_zen

That being said, when I changed the tyres for my Honda Civic in the US a few months back, I was charged an extra $12 @ $3 per tyre towards “Tire Disposal Fee”.

that's because govt. and people are sensible enough to follow it. you even get charged for disposal of used oil, coolant etc. why do you think they send scrapped ships to ship(scrap)yards in gujarat?

someday we will have disposal facilities and people willing to pay for them, everywhere. amen.

rr_zen · 24th July 2007, 01:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

that's because govt. and people are sensible enough to follow it. you even get charged for disposal of used oil, coolant etc. why do you think they send scrapped ships to ship(scrap)yards in gujarat?

someday we will have disposal facilities and people willing to pay for them, everywhere. amen.

The reason for my statement above is to highlight the good thing associated with disposing off a tyre thereby not posing a threat to the environment. In India, we still have a long way to go on that one. You and I can consider ourselves lucky if we were alive to witness that 'someday' you mentioned.

23rd July 2007, 21:53	#1
anandpadhye Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 3,054 Thanked: 3,313 Times	What happens to used tyres? Friends, I recently changed all my 5 tyres (they had completed 42000KM). When i asked the tyre guy what to do with the old ones, he said take them along as he had no use of them. When I asked him what I will do with them and I have to dispose them off anyway, he offered that I could just leave them at his place and go. Curiously, I asked him what becomes of these tyres in the end and I got different answers (collected from various tyrewallas, one after the other...): 1. Some rubber scrap guy will come and take them away. What he does with them later on, no idea. 2. Tyre retreaders will buy them and retread (though one tyre shopkeeper told me that's only true for tube type not for tubeless). 3. My brother who works in a tractor company told me the rubber scrap guys eventually just burn the tyres to extract the steal out of it. 4. I searched the tyre company websites but no mention of recycling/reclaiming facilities or designated dump grounds. 5. Another friend told me nothing environment friendly is possible of rubber once it's vucunized (and tyres are vulcunized rubber). Do are the used tyres a BIG BIG BIG environmental hazard? Another "not much talked about" waste and harm caused by the automobile industry? I am very sad on knowing this and need some info, suggestions, views to clean my conscience. Till then I am hating myself for being an automobile lover... As they say, conscience does not prevent sin. It only prevents you from enjoying it... Please respond.
	(1) Thanks

23rd July 2007, 22:04	#2
iamkapilb BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 93 Thanked: 9 Times	One use of used tyres is to make those tyre walls along the racing track I think the shiny road surface we see nowadays has used tyre rubber in them.
	() Thanks

23rd July 2007, 22:06	#3
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: UAE/Lon/Madras Posts: 6,965 Thanked: 325 Times View My Garage	What happens to used race tyres?? We use them for the track days!
	() Thanks

23rd July 2007, 22:28	#4
CrAzY dRiVeR Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore / TVM Posts: 17,180 Thanked: 73,502 Times View My Garage	Hmmm... Nice thread. To be frank, never thought this way. I guess some member can answers for all of us.
	() Thanks

23rd July 2007, 22:35	#5
wolfinstein BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 994 Thanked: 20 Times	Let's Mail Respective companies and Ask...! Bridgestone India/ JK Tyre / Apollo / MRF- I'm sure they may respond with some feedback.
	() Thanks

23rd July 2007, 22:54	#6
xinome BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: I am lost.... Posts: 339 Thanked: 0 Times	this thread has got me thinking, oh i have sinned! seriously what does happen to these tyres! over here in tvm people burn tyres everyday near the NH guys here must have noticed it and the foul smell! when i asked why they where doing it, they told me "they burn it to kill mosquitoes" i was like what the and i replied you are killing yourself not the mosquitoe i left for home wondering why seriosuly why? please do let us know what happens to these tyres do they launch it of to space
	() Thanks

23rd July 2007, 23:08	#7
theMAG Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Avon, CT Posts: 7,217 Thanked: 1,807 Times View My Garage	Typically they should be recycled. But thats where such facilities exist. Else, like in majority of countries with flexi rules and apathy, they're either chucked in the nearest gutter or as you said used for burning in various applications such as during an unrest etc
	() Thanks

23rd July 2007, 23:28	#8
esteem_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Madras/Py Posts: 7,556 Thanked: 502 Times View My Garage	My brother changed his wagonr tyres recently. These tyres were 5 years old & the dealer just refused to take possession of the old tyres. He politely declined to take it even if we were to pay him for it. The dealer is quite known to me, i guess it is tough to dispose old rubber.
	() Thanks

23rd July 2007, 23:32	#9
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: UAE/Lon/Madras Posts: 6,965 Thanked: 325 Times View My Garage	Donate the tyres to race-tracks for making tyrewalls!
	() Thanks

23rd July 2007, 23:47	#11
esteem_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Madras/Py Posts: 7,556 Thanked: 502 Times View My Garage	costs a lot of money to donate, my brother just found a neat isolated spot to dump them.
	() Thanks

24th July 2007, 00:44	#13
rr_zen Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 1,799 Thanked: 400 Times View My Garage	This article reminds me of my friend who changed all tryes of his M800 and without a second thought hung the used tyres from the compound wall so that they save the car from major damage in an unlikely event of the car banging the wall while it was being parked. And, he always parked the car in a reverse fashion and the used tyres seem to do their new job pretty well now. That being said, when I changed the tyres for my Honda Civic in the US a few months back, I was charged an extra $12 @ $3 per tyre towards “Tire Disposal Fee”.
	() Thanks