Used Tires Get New Life with Quest Recycling

by 04/22/09 8 Comments

Several major companies have announced their plans to produce zero waste. While the initiatives are a great step forward, who really takes care of the waste and carries out the plan? Quest Recycling Services is the key middle man in these corporate schemes. Quest will be teaming up with Wal-Mart in its zero waste by 2025 plan.

Quest will pick up the used tires from Wal-Mart and create a durable mulch. Photo: Tradenote.net

Quest will pick up the used tires from Wal-Mart and create a durable mulch. Photo: Tradenote.net

Quest Recycling will divert waste from landfills at all cost. For example, Quest may take an old tire and turn it into usable mulch for Wal-Mart to repackage and sale.

According to Quest’s CEO Brian Dick, millions of tires fill acres of landfill space every year. However, Quest is alleviating this growing problem by coming up with new purpose for these tires.

“The process is simple,” Dick says. “You come into a Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club to the Tire & Lube Express. Your tire comes off your car and that’s probably the last time you think about it.”

Dick also notes that closed-loop recycling is making a huge impact on the U.S. Quest will pick up the used tires from Wal-Mart and create mulch that will carry a 10-year color warranty. Along with tires, Quest will also recycle motor oil and oil filters.

Amanda Wills

Amanda Wills

Managing Editor


  1. Julie Wilson

    posted on June 20th, 2011 at 4:55 pm

    Why is there no place in ms to sell recycled tires. It would reduce waste in landfills. And someone would pick them up from the sides of the road.
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7 Archived Comments

  1. eric wood

    posted on April 22nd, 2009 at 9:27 am

    I am becoming a fan of Quest Recycling Services. I love the fact that they are behind the tool for finding where to recycle stuff.

    I want to stand on top of the Empire State Building and shout at the top of my lungs, “You can make money going green!” Capitalists and entrepreneurs shuold be flocking to the green market becasue there is a ton of money to make and businesses to grow!

    http://www.going greenaccidently.blogspot.com

  2. Phyllis Mogensen

    posted on April 22nd, 2009 at 10:48 am

    It is very commendable that you are teaching recycling. However, I am also a ‘pre-cycler,’ in that I choose to purchase products with minimal or no packaging, refillable containers, etc. In addition, I grow most of my vegetables organically with no commercial fertilizers or pesticides. Just thought I would add to your already excellent website.

  3. Pat

    posted on May 7th, 2009 at 3:47 am

    I have started to use this mulch from Sam’s made by a PA company. So far I love it I have purchased about 20 bags so far.

  4. robert leadbetter

    posted on August 7th, 2009 at 7:48 pm

    I am trying to locate a place to donate old tires in pa. If anyone knows where I can drop off for recycling please let me know

  5. Shawn

    posted on September 21st, 2009 at 11:17 pm

    I have a question.

    When the mulch needs to be replaced, we are stuck with the decision to recycle that. I don’t really understand. Sometimes mulch gets washed away and this rubber mulch could end up in our streams leading to the lake. I like the idea of reusing things in a different way, but mulch is hardly the way I would suggest reusing a tire. It just seems to me that might create another problem in the future

  6. Shawn

    posted on September 29th, 2009 at 7:41 am

    Shawn, that was exactly what I was thinking about the recycling it in to mulch. I live in Michigan and in our small town about two weeks ago we repaved some of are streets with recycled tires. Very cool but smelled really bad.

  7. Robert

    posted on December 28th, 2009 at 9:55 pm

    There is a solution, and an even more viable option when it comes to recycling used tires, as well, numerous other waste, and hazardous waste type products.

    The company I work for, is a new company in the United States, and they are a clean energy, fuel production refinery. We possess the technology to convert these used tires into clean burning transportation fuels, diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, ethanol etc. Even the process itself, produces such low emissions, we require no emissions compliance for our facilities.

    I think it’s great that companies like Quest and Magnum are taking an initiative, and I hope that when our P&R contact them, and offer them a viable opportunity to work with us, and provide products that will truly change the way we manage our waste, that is beneficial to the country, it is a win-win situation for everyone.

    Just another step in producing clean fuels for transportation and energy production, as well, a leap forward in independence on fossil fuels and or crude oils.

    The technology is here, it’s a matter of getting through the red-tape many like to cause when they see real solutions to a problem.

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