New Technology Converts Tires to Oil
by Trey Granger
Published on September 22nd, 2009
6 Comments
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.
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.
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.
ramesh
posted on September 30th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
sir i hope to start recycling products in srilanka.what your idea
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)
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
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. [...]
Chris Kenney
posted on January 16th, 2010 at 4:35 pm
There has been talk like this around for the past 40 years. I have personally been involved in the oil refining and tire compounding business for over 30 years. First, the “carbon black” described in this article is not carbon black. It’s “char”. Carbon black is used in tires (around 30%) to impart abrasion resistance and cut resistance to tire compound (SBR Polymer).The char recovered from tires has none of these imparting characteristics. It’s basically worthless. The “oil’ is a low flash, smelly material that requires further processing in distillation, hydrogenation and other processing steps to give material any commercial value. The oil is comprised of hundreds different hydrocarbon compounds. I know of no serious R/D work ever being done on this oil. How do I know all this? I was involved in a multi million dollar project back in the 80’s. We built a plant and I was hired as primary consultant on sales and marketing side for by products. I have worked with all the major tire mfgs over the years on compounding issues. They would not touch the “carbon black” produced from this process with a 10 ft pole.