TYRES
There are an estimated 900 million cars and commercial vehicles in use worldwide, with almost 1 billion units being added to that number every year.
The explosive growth in the automobile sector in recent decades has been accompanied by a substantial increase in volume of end-of-life tyres.
Significant developments by the recycling industry can now guarantee the adequate recovery of the millions of tyres that are disposed of daily.
Mainly composed of rubber, textiles and steel, tyres are an ideal product for recycling.
Recycling tyres translates into lower energy consumption, a reduction in emissions and most importantly, a reduction in the amount of raw rubber needed for manufacturing which ultimately contributes to preserve natural resources like crude oil.
Tyres are built to last. However, the very same properties that make them durable also make them difficult to break down. Disposing of tyres in landfills or stockpiles can cause severe environmental and health concerns:
- In many cases, tyre stockpiles end up being burned, releasing toxins and pollutants into the air, water and soil.
- Stockpiled tyres hold water very efficiently, creating an ideal breeding environment for insects, rodents and other parasites that can transfer diseases to humans.
TYRE RECYCLING
- Sorting: Tyres are sorted by size and composition. Once sorted the tyres are graded and tested for any faults, tyres that comply with legal and safety conditions the tyres are re-sold as part worn tyres.
- Baled Tyres: All the tyres which cannot be used as part worn tyres are put into the waste stream for further processing. PAS108 specification bales are used for civil engineering projects. The remaining bales are then transported for further processing. Baling tyres for export maximises the weight that can be loaded into each container. taurus Trading International are specialists in the export of baled tyres to India. Baled tyres can also be exported to other countries as long as the importers have all local licenses and approvals.
- Shredding: When manufacturing tyres, the vulcanisation process makes the rubber more durable and flexible. Unfortunately, this makes the melting process difficult, so tyres must be broken down and shredded into strips. Taurus Trading International are experienced in exporting bulk shipments of tyre shred in various sizes. Taurus Trading International also supply Tyre Derived Fuel (TDF) to cement factories worldwide.
In civil engineering works, shredded tyres are used as filling to stabilise weak soil and also as insulation for roads, walls and bridge abutments, shredded tyres for cicvil engineering are supplied to PAS107 specification.
- Steel removal: Shredding machines use rotors to further shred the material and to remove steel fibres from tyres. Magnets are used to separate the steel from the rubber. Taurus Trading Internantional also supply Tyre Wire in Baled form. Baled tyre wire is 85 to 90% rubber free.
- Grinding: Once the steel is removed, the strips are placed into granulators. Different applications are employed to determine the desired consistency of the recycled rubber, which can be grounded into granules, shreds, chips, crumbs or powder.