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Published on September 22nd, 2009

New Technology Converts Tires to Oil

As seen on Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet earlier this month, New Jersey-based Global Resource Corporation has patented a new technology that uses microwave energy to extract oil from waste tires without producing toxic emissions.

The GRC process uses tires to produce carbon black, which is typically used to make more rubber. GRC estimates that it can convert a ton of waste tires into as much as 400 pounds of reusable carbon black, which typically sells for $2,000 a ton.

Photo: Flickr/Oriolus

In the U.S., 920 million tires were used for non-commercial vehicles on the road in 2005, and every year on average, 290 million tires are disposed. Photo: Flickr/Oriolus

GRC is currently researching other products from which to extract energy, such as municipal solid waste (MSW). Both tires and MSW are already burned for fuel, but in this process carbon dioxide is released, creating questions about the eco-friendliness of waste-to-energy processes. The GRC process does not use oxygen to produce energy, therefore carbon dioxide is not produced as a byproduct.

The issue of how to dispose of tires is of environmental importance, as states face growing stockpiles, and the health impacts of using shredded tires in other capacities continues to be a topic of debate. GRC is looking to roll out its first tire recycling machine for commercial use next year.

“The ultimate goal is for this technology to make such a significant contribution that it motivates the world’s business and political leaders to embrace it as the de facto standard for processing waste materials,” says Eric Swain, GRC’s chairman and CEO.

5 Comments

  1. Brooke

    posted on September 23rd, 2009 at 1:47 pm

    Interesting! Looks like another good opportunity to find the right solution (or match in our language) for tires and similar materials.

  2. ramesh

    posted on September 30th, 2009 at 11:56 pm

    sir i hope to start recycling products in srilanka.what your idea

  3. Shredderhotline.com

    posted on October 10th, 2009 at 9:42 am

    Well boys for the last 35 years or more taking tires to oil or tires to gold or lead to gold has been one of the biggest scams in the green industry that is still thriving…and still taking millions in dollars from investors who want to make gold from tires…

    Sad fact and if you want to know real truths and support tires to oil then give me a call..

    We have lots of stories and lots of proof that its a spoof…but maybe someday it can be a reality…but for now its still a scam..

    dan burda
    owner
    shredderhotline.com
    worldwide tire recycling expert
    first in the world to pioneer this field
    first to build equipment for this field
    and still going strong
    (EDITED)

  4. Fanding Darboe

    posted on October 10th, 2009 at 9:57 am

    sir is very pity that in Africa there is no way out that one can do with scrap tires.I was thinking how best you can help the whole of Africa from this mess.If there is any way out please help.I cannot say more until i have a positive respond.

    thanks cheers
    Fanding darboe

  5. Making Old Tires Into Oil : The Hill in the Village

    posted on October 22nd, 2009 at 2:49 pm

    [...] See how this technology can ultimately help the environment. [...]

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