Tires don’t last forever. Once the tread wears sufficiently, it can become a safety problem, with drivers no longer being able to get sufficient grip on the road surface. The problem is that the rubber compound that makes up the tires, along with the steel wires added for extra stiffness, does not break down efficiently in a landfill. According to the EPAAt the end of 2003, there were an estimated 290 million scrap tires in the US. Therefore, it is crucial to find a more environmentally friendly method of disposal. It’s not just regular motorists who contribute to a stockpile of rubber either. Ever wonder where all those used NASCAR tires go after a race?
Fortunately, almost all US states have introduced tire scrap regulations, with the exception of Alaska. Additionally, most states have laws against dumping old tires in landfills. Instead, many tire shops send your old tires to a recycling facility. It’s not free for the tire shop to recycle every tire, so sometimes tire disposal costs are passed on to you, the customer. Although, in some cases, if the used tires are still in good condition, they can be retreaded and reused.
Additionally, in many places around the country, the state collects a small fee when you register a vehicle or buy new tires. This fee is then used to support the clean-up of old tires that have been irresponsibly and illegally dumped. Unfortunately, not every tire store recycles, as a situation in Nacogdoches County, Texas demonstrated in late 2025, when authorities discovered a dump of several hundred used tires, possibly linked to a few unscrupulous retailers.
How does recycling old tires work? And where are they used?
After further refinement, these old recycled tires can end up in a variety of everyday materials, keeping them out of landfills. For example, if you’ve ever spent time on your high school track, that rubbery surface was probably made with recycled tires. Those looking to brighten the look of their home may have used recycled rubber mulch around shrubs or trees in their yard. You can even have recycled rubber shingles installed on your roof, which work great as a thermal barrier.
Burning old tires is toxic to the environment, but it goes further than that
Even if these old tires don’t burn, they still pose some threats in the form of infectious diseases. Imagine a whole pile of used tires, and all the voids and open spaces their shape creates. Not only does this take up far too much space (in terms of an efficient landfill), but it also becomes an ideal habitat for rodents, mosquitoes and other pests. Diseases such as hantavirus, plague and leptospirosis can spread to humans through large, uncontrolled rat populations, among other ways. Unfortunately, it’s not just rubber scrap heaps they like, as your vehicle (if left idle for a long time) can make an excellent nesting spot. Fortunately, there are proven ways to prevent rodent damage to your car, with solutions as simple as regular lawn maintenance and using dryer sheets, among other options.
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