3 Things You Didn’t Know About Abandoned Tires
According to the EPA, millions of tires are abandoned near the United States and Mexico border. This abandoned rubber typically ends up in landfills causing groundwater and soil contamination if left alone. Due to the demand for rubber, non-recycled rubber leads to the production of more rubber; more rubber equals more energy consumption.
So, why should we recycle it?
1. Mosquitoes Thrive in Abandoned Tires
Abandoned tires are the perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes potentially carrying diseases such as Dengue Fever and West Nile Virus. While Dengue Fever isn’t too common in the Western Hemisphere, it is slowly leaving its mark with more and more cases each year. According to the CDC, water filled tires are ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes all over the world. Though recycling tires will not completely eradicate diseases carried by mosquitoes, limiting their breeding grounds is a great way to minimize the spread of any diseases mosquitoes may carry. The info-graphic to the left shows the number of people killed by animals each year.
2. Tire Fires
Not only are tires combustible, they are difficult to extinguish. In 2015, 30,000 illegally dumped tires caught fire generating toxic smoke which can cause health risks if inhaled. Also, residue from the burning rims was a major concern for the EPA due to the possibility of harmful chemicals leaking into nearby creeks. Whether a tire is in a landfill or burned, tires are toxic to the environment. With a quick Google search, you can find multiple places that recycle used tires. RecycledRubberFacts.org finds recycling just four (4) rubber tires reduces about 323 pounds of CO2, or about 18 gallons of gasoline. The site also finds the rubber recycling industry generates approximately $1.6 billion annually in economic activity making rubber recycling both economically and environmentally beneficial.
3. Recycled Rubber is Versatile
Last but not least, how can rubber be reused? To start, old tires can be made into new tires. Recycled tires can also be turned into rubberized asphalt, railroad tires, or in sports such as football and motor racing. Here at Abacus Sports Installations, we use recycled rubber to create resilient rubberized flooring great for weight rooms, tracks, playgrounds, animals large and small, offices, shooting ranges, and more. Using recycled rubber helps clean up the environment while simultaneously providing a quality product that helps protects humans and animals. For more information, or a closer look at what we do, check out our website.