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TIRES IN LANDFILLS

  • Writer: Metro Recycling
    Metro Recycling
  • Aug 21, 2019
  • 1 min read

Updated: Oct 23, 2019

Posted on May 15, 2016


Recycling Tires

As we talked about a few weeks ago, recycling tires can be challenging. With over 290 million tires discarded every year we have a lot of tires with limited places for them to go.


Why isn’t the landfill a viable option? Let’s look at some of the facts.

The first issue is that tires break down very slowly. It takes approximately 50-80 years (or longer) for a tire to completely decompose in a landfill. So with 290 million being discarded every year, the landfill would quickly become overrun with old, unusable tires.


Another issue is space. Tires aren’t small and whole tires take up a lot of space in landfills. This landfill space if very valuable, especially when you consider that 75% of their space is void.


A big issue is soil and water contamination. Tires have the capability to damage landfill liners. Holes or damage in the liners can cause fluids and other harmful chemicals to escape into the soil and contaminate the water and soil surrounding the landfill.


Last, but certainly not least, when tires in landfills do damage the landfill liners they then tend to float to the surface. This then causes them to attract rodents. Making contamination more of a possibility.


So if we can’t discard tires in landfills then what can we do with them? Next time we’ll talk about different uses for tires and what we can do with them when we no longer have use for them.

4 Comments


James Smith
James Smith
3 days ago

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Stive Joy
Stive Joy
Mar 26

The article notes that improperly disposed tires occupy nearly 5 percent of landfill volume and contribute to chemical leaching, a detail highlighting ethical and environmental responsibility. Addressing such issues parallels the ethical standards in research where conscientious handling of data and materials is essential. This connects with the ethical guidance exemplified by Assignment Help which encourages students to approach complex topics with integrity and consideration of broader impacts. I appreciated how the article quantified the environmental consequences to underscore urgency. It makes me curious whether integrating environmental ethics modules into science and engineering curricula could foster more conscientious approaches to research and resource management in Australian universities.

Edited
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Ivan
Ivan
Feb 16

The environmental impact of discarded tires is alarming, especially when considering how long they remain in landfills and the pollution they create. I think better recycling methods and smarter material management could significantly reduce this issue. Sustainable manufacturing and responsible disposal often rely on high-quality chemical productsthat help improve recycling processes, waste treatment, and material recovery. Exploring innovations in industrial and specialty chemicals seems like an important step toward minimizing landfill overflow. I appreciate how the discussion highlights long-term ecological risks, and it encourages thinking about practical solutions that industries and communities can implement to create a cleaner and more sustainable future.

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Sep 02, 2025

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