Did you know that Californians produce more than 40 million waste tires every single year? That’s more than one tire for every single person that lives in this great state. According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board more than 1.5 million tires end up illegally disposed. We’ve all seen it – tires in the forest, tires in the bottom of Donner Lake, tires behind supermarkets. Maybe you even have some old tires but don’t know what to do with them. Well, you’re in luck. From now until March 15, there’s a special program to help you recycle your old tires, and it’s free. Be sure to take advantage of this unique opportunity!
Special Waste Tire Collection Event:
WHO: Truckee, Nevada County and Placer County residents.
WHAT: Bring passenger car, tires with studs, light truck and SUV tires only. No oversized or tires on rims please. Bring up to nine waste tires per load (it’s illegal to haul more than 9 tires at one time without a special hauling variance so to keep it simple please only haul 9 tires.) If you have special needs or circumstances, call Nichole Dorr, Truckee Recycling Coordinator at 530-582-2909.
WHERE: Eastern Regional Landfill (ERL), off Hwy 89, on Cabin Creek Road.
WHEN: NOW until March 15! The landfill is open Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
WHY: Improperly stored and illegally dumped tires present hazards to the public and the environment. Tires can trap water and provide vector breeding grounds (eg. West Nile Virus), as well as provide homes for rodents and other unwanted pests. Tires are flammable, and can potentially burn hot enough to create an oil runoff that could contaminate soil and ground water.
HOW: The event is funded by a grant that Nevada County Recycles received from the California Integrated Waste Management Board and brought to you locally by the Town of Truckee and Tahoe Truckee Sierra Disposal. Tires collected during this tire event will be hauled and recycled by Waste Recovery West of Sacramento for recycling (tires collected at the event must stay in California).
For more information:
US Environmental Protection Agency: epa.gov/garbage/tires/index.htm
California Integrated Waste Management Board: ciwmb.ca.gov/Tires/
How is a tire recycled and what is it recycled into?
The basic process for tire recycling is first to create crumb rubber. To make crumb rubber from old tires the following steps must occur: the processor must remove the bead (the part of the tire you see farmers using to hold down plastic on a pile). When the bead is removed the tires go through a shredder where felt, steal, and rubber are separated from each other. The steel is then recycled, the felt is either recycled or landfilled and the rubber is cut up and further refined into different gauge pellets. The pellets also known as crumb rubber are sold as feedstock to product manufactures. Recycled tires are used for such products as rubberized asphalt, equestrian arenas, all weather tracks, synthetic turf playing fields, playground surfacing, and flooring.
A nearby example of recycled tires put to good use is the soccer field at Alder Creek Middle School, which is made from 328,000 pounds of recycled rubber from tires. It was estimated to be the equivalent of diverting 27,333 tires from the landfill. The synthetic turf playing field increases the fields usability, reduces maintenance costs, and reduces the likelihood of injuries such as concussions, ankle twist and knee damage.
Care for Your Tires
According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board proper tire care will extend the life of your tires and can improve your gas mileage. The organization has provided the following tips for basic tire-related maintenance:
Pressure: Maintain proper tire pressure. Under inflation makes tires work harder, get hotter, cause uneven tread wear and reduces gas mileage.
Alignment: Have your wheels aligned on a regular basis. Improper alignment can cause the car to pull, leading to uneven tread wear. This is especially important when driving on bumpy rural roads.
Rotate: Rotate tires every 5,000 miles or as recommended by the tire manufacture.
Tread: Use the good ol’ ‘penny test.’ Place a penny into tread groove. If Lincoln’s head is covered by tread you have a good tire. If you can see all of Abe’s head you should replace your tires.
Store: If you are changing out your tires make sure you store your summer tires keeping the following techniques in mind:
1. It’s better to store your tires in an upright position to prevent distortion or disfiguration. If you must stack your tires stack them two high to help prevent distortion on the bottom tire.
2. When storing tires that have been inflated, deflate to 50 percent the normal pressure. Keep value caps in place.
3. Store your tires in a clean, cool and well-ventilated space.
4. Be sure to inspect tires for cracks before mounting.
