A New Use For Recycled Tires

by 01/09/09 34 Comments

Approximately 300 million used car and truck tires are generated in the U.S. each year, according to the Recycling Times. With at least 25 percent of scrap tires being landfilled each year, there is a constant need to find innovative ways to reuse them.

While some people reuse whole tires as building materials or as planters for trees and plants, PMGI/Productive Recycling has developed a new waste-tire technology called T-Blocks, which are made of old tires and concrete. Each block consumes 20 to 40 used tires.

“Scrap tires are not only a waste of valuable landfill space but a more serious waste of what is now a viable resource. To illustrate the magnitude of the used tire problem the governments, Solid Waste Management, reports indicate, there is one scrap tire produced for every three people in the United States,” said Gerald Harrington, Managing Director, of PMGI/Productive Recycling.

T-Blocks can be used for a number of construction purposes, including:

  • T-Blocks can be used for a number of purposes, including erosion control. - ProductiveRecycling.com

    T-Blocks can be used for a number of purposes, including erosion control. - ProductiveRecycling.com

    Soil erosion control and slope protection

  • Wetlands reconstruction
  • Flood control
  • Dike and levee construction
  • Sub-foundation stabilizers, especially where vibration is a factor

Through their “Tire Recycling Cooperative of America” program, members act as producers, collecting, fabricating and delivering T-Blocks, as a mobile processing machine prepares the tires onsite for re-manufacturing. A basic operational system can process about 1,000 scrap-tires daily, turning them into usable resources.

So What Does That Mean For You?

Even though the general public cannot directly recycle their tires into T-Blocks, by simply recycling old tires, you provide materials for innovative uses such as the method developed by PMGI/Productive Recycling.

“We see our process to provide a value to the community in which they [consumers] live. This is through the reduction of scrap-tire stockpiles therefore reducing insect and rodent habitat and the fire hazard,” said Harrington.

Jennifer Berry

Jennifer Berry

Jennifer Berry is the Social Media Editor and Sr. PR Director for Earth911.com. You can follow her on Twitter @jenn_berry.


Bibliography: A New Use For Recycled Tires

  1. Kamala Paudel

    posted on July 9th, 2011 at 12:27 am

    please suggest me, where to use recycle tiers reuse? And provide me some addresses of recycle manufacturing plant.

  2. Anita Khatri

    posted on July 9th, 2011 at 4:42 am

    WEPCO kupondole just opposite to nightangle college is the woman organisation. they reuse the waste paper.

  3. Silvana Tavares

    posted on August 1st, 2011 at 4:17 pm

    Dimension of T-BLOCK. Would be possible to apply (as infill) between concrete and wood wall?

  4. Curtis Sewell

    posted on September 8th, 2011 at 4:59 pm

    Could you e-mail me where I can sale scrap tires in north Texas I live about 50 miles northeast of Dallas and have access to 1000's of junk tires would like to find away to make money and help get rid of these in a eco friendly way my email is bmrracing94@yahoo.com thanks.

  5. Christa Owen

    posted on September 13th, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    I'm looking for an outlet to sell scrap tires in Carrollton Ga?

  6. Luis B Rosales

    posted on September 27th, 2011 at 1:09 am

    looking for a place to sell scrap tires in Ca.

  7. Jerry Coleman

    posted on October 21st, 2011 at 11:56 am

    this is a job maker.

  8. James Mike

    posted on October 30th, 2011 at 7:51 pm

    YES HERE IS MY E-MAIL ID JM0037@YMAIL.COM.

  9. Kym Waldroup

    posted on December 7th, 2011 at 7:23 am

    I am looking for a place to sell my used tires to. I have a paint, body & frame shop. I have at the least 500 tires on my property and have access to LOTS LOTS LOTS more. Is there any one that can tell me what I can do to sell these? I know that when you get new tires they charge a dispose fee. I know there is a way to help me and to also help the enviroment by recycling these. I am located in North Georgia. I am also looking for a place to sell my empty plastic drink bottles. I have heard that there are recycling centers that pay so much by the pound for the plastic. I would LOVE to have this recycled because I don't want it to end up in the ocean. I do not want the fish and etc. to eat this plastic. I know that in the Pacific Ocean there is a place called NORTH PACIFIC SUBTROPICAL GYRE also known as GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH that is all types of plastics and etc..I did not know that this exisited until a few years ago. If you read this and see the pictures/videos of this is so sad. People wonder where all the cancers and things are coming from in my opinion THIS is where ALOT IF NOT ALL is coming from or at the least the start of things. If anyone can help me please respond I will check this to see if anyone has stumbled upon this as the way I did.

  10. Kym Waldroup

    posted on December 7th, 2011 at 7:24 am

    Again, I am looking for someone to buy these items from me. I don't want to have to pay someone to take the items.

  11. Earth911

    posted on December 7th, 2011 at 8:53 pm

    Kym Waldroup - Have you tried the green search box at the top of our page? I recommend finding local recyclers and see if they have processes in place for bulk pick-ups!

  12. Kym Waldroup

    posted on December 8th, 2011 at 10:56 am

    Earth911 Do you know if the people I find in the green search box at the top of your page do they want me to pay a fee to them to dispose of the items or do I get a check from them because they are buying the items from me. I am kinda sorta looking for a place that works along the lines like the aluminum cans work. You know paid by whatever the item is bringing a pound.

  13. Latasha Nicole Whitt

    posted on December 31st, 2011 at 7:05 am

    I am looking for a place to sell a bulk amount of scrap tires in central Indiana to try to clean up the community so if there is anybody that can tell me how to do that it would be appreciated my number is 765-576-0209 leave message thank you.

  14. Andrew Ready'to-die Buehler

    posted on January 4th, 2012 at 3:09 pm

    I have about 10,000 scrap tires to get rid of in southern new jersey, it would be nice to sell them but would just like to get rid of them with it costing me anything. please email me if you have any info to make this happen. fastcars2386@yahoo.com

  15. Sharon Mathis

    posted on January 12th, 2012 at 5:48 am

    I am looking to sell my tires. I really would like to get rid of them today. Please contact me asap.

  16. Lindsay Sue

    posted on January 12th, 2012 at 5:53 pm

    Please include more pictures in articles like this.

  17. Machelle Sims

    posted on January 18th, 2012 at 6:45 am

    I looking for a place to buy my old tires. I have alot. Please contact me at msims92909@aol.com
As of June 17th 2011 we have upgraded our comment system to use Facebook comments. The below comments are closed and are listed for historical purposes.

17 Archived Comments

  1. tara

    posted on January 10th, 2009 at 10:35 am

    my husband has a auto shop and we are wanting to despose of old tires to a recycling plant any close to Pensacola Fl

  2. padro

    posted on February 10th, 2009 at 12:08 pm

    I would like to start selling used tires to a recycling company, is there any recycling companies in, or near Spartanburg S.C..

  3. Winston Able

    posted on March 3rd, 2009 at 5:09 am

    I’m looking to despose about 20,000 thousand tires, please e-mail me.

  4. Casey

    posted on March 13th, 2009 at 10:46 am

    Hi,
    We’ve recently retired to Rayville, Louisiana. It is a very depressed rural area. We need employment and industry here badly. Land is cheap and plentiful. There is a large unemployed population for potential labor and we have a major east/west interstate, Interstate 20 within 5 miles.
    Local governments would offer substantial incentives to businesses locating here.
    Could you please forward some information on recycling centers and/or tire recycling plants that might be suitable for our area?
    Thank you

  5. severo ruiz

    posted on April 2nd, 2009 at 12:18 pm

    i opened my own tire shop in San Angelo, TX. I would like to sell my used tire to recycling company rather paying a disposal fee. if you know one with in 100 miles range please e-mail me.

  6. Thomas vo

    posted on May 10th, 2009 at 1:35 pm

    Hi , Winston Able .

    We would like to buy all of your csrap tires ( 20,000) .
    Email to me and let we know . How we can clear your yard .

    Sincerely

    Thomas Vo

  7. Viktor

    posted on June 23rd, 2009 at 1:00 pm

    Hi. I developed and patented technology for processing of tires in the road surface without crushing tire crumbs. The road surface is flat, square, without any joints. The best way is applicable to the crossing between the rails. You do not need expensive equipment and a lot of space. Process can be any number of tires.
    I live in Ukraine and seeking co-sponsors for the patenting and introduction of technology in the world.
    Regards Victor. I ask for forgiveness for any mistakes in the text, using an interpreter.
    sajanari@meta.ua

  8. Towing

    posted on November 19th, 2009 at 6:41 am

    Hello, I am looking at getting a tire shredding machine and was wondering where a person can sell the shredder rubber to. I am located in South Dakota. please e-mail racing_58@hotmail.com with any info.
    thank you

  9. Reyes Luna

    posted on December 6th, 2009 at 7:51 pm

    Hi, my family own a few tire shops here in San Diego CA…we get 10 to 20,000 tires a month or maybe more. were looking into buying a tire shredder.. but before we do i wanted to get some more info on who might buy the final product..we like the idea of recycling. can someone point us in the right direction ..please email me ..thank you and god bless. (devour86@yahoo.com)

  10. Jon

    posted on January 16th, 2010 at 12:23 pm

    Hi, I have started a trash hauling and dumpster service. My customers have tires that they need to dispose of. I would like to be able to take their tires, but I do not have a place to dispose of them. Is there a company close to Wilmington, OH that will take them?

  11. tires arr us

    posted on January 16th, 2010 at 7:44 pm

    we are a whole used scrap tire recycling outfit.we have car and light truck tires all size .looking for sameone to take tham.and we do do recycling pick up as well. e-mail us at tiresarrus@gmail.comThank you mike .

  12. loving niece

    posted on April 12th, 2010 at 8:05 pm

    My uncle passed away in SE South Dakota area. He left our family farm with dozens of car, pickup and tractor tires which we want to recycle. Anywhere I can dispose of these properly? I don’t really want to PAY to dispose of them. I can haul them in my trailer, but where. Hope to find somewhere near SE South Dakota or SW Minnesota area. Please email me with ideas. THANKS.

  13. FJ

    posted on May 16th, 2010 at 2:07 pm

    My neighbor has inherited his fathers farm and has ALOT of old tires that the county is making him dispose of. Are there any recycling plants near the Charleston, Orangeburg or Beaufort SC areas or even Savannah,GA area. If not, do you have any suggestions as to what he can do with them? Financially he cannot afford to pay to dispose of them. Thanks

  14. Randy

    posted on July 14th, 2010 at 11:46 am

    Hi me and a few auto mechnics and tire replacemant businesses are looking for a place to sell a pretty consistant supply of srap tires any where in the United States, We will pay the related cost for shipping. We would like to get as many places as we can to insure that we will not get stuck with a bunch of tires laying around. If anyone knows of a place please email me at rlittle.utr@greenmail.com
    Thank You

  15. Penny

    posted on September 14th, 2010 at 7:29 pm

    We own a tire business and are looking for a company that wants all of our scrap tires. We have 600+ currently, and no disposal company local. We are located in North Texas. Have looked into recycling equipment, but the initial purchase is too large.

  16. Porter

    posted on September 15th, 2010 at 12:52 pm

    This article is very informative and provides many ways that we can use recycled tires. Great innovators will always come up with ways to put discarded products to a positive use. You can find other uses for tires at http://www.conservastore.com/productlist.php?c=54

  17. Juan

    posted on May 29th, 2011 at 8:38 am

    In my country we can reuse tires or recap them, so I’m willing to accept any ammount of used tires to ship it out to Panama in Central America.
    Penny if you want we can pick up your tires, pls email me to arrenge how to do that.
    my email address is jsamuels10@hotmail.com
    bless you

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