How to Dispose of Waste Tires

Rubber tires are connected to one of the greatest inventions of recent history: the automobile. But after serving their purpose, those tires present a challenge nearly as important: finding a safe way to dispose of them. In today's environmentally conscious society, we have developed many alternatives to tire burning, a practice that used to be the most common method of disposal, and one that is extremely damaging to the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) now enforces regulations for both the recycling and discarding of used tires.

Things You'll Need

• Used rubber tires

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Instructions

• 1

  Reuse your tires by mounting then on another vehicle in need of tires, perhaps a farm truck that is driven off-road. Or perhaps you get a flat in one tire, but get a deal buying a new set of four; you still have three tires with some life left in them. Someone you know may be able to use one of your "leftover" tires as a spare, or you could sell a pair of them to someone who just needs two.

• 2

  Find another creative use for your tires, such as making tire swings, planters and obstacle courses. Let your imagination run wild as you consider new ways to reuse your tires.

• 3

  Take your tires to a used tire dealer, tire recycling facility or service station. In most states, you will have to pay a fee to leave old tires; this fee often funds tire recycling programs and scrap tire clean-up efforts. The amount of the fee and its application vary from state to state.

• 4

  Check with your local government; some municipalities offer "tire amnesty" programs that allow residents to drop off scrap tires free of charge. These programs usually operate at certain times of the year and limit the number of tires you can bring in.