On Friday, an enormous tyre dump in Spain went up in smoke, triggering the evacuation of 9,000 people living in the local area. Tyres release toxic smoke when burned, which can cause chemical pneumonia if large quantities are inhaled. The toxic chemicals released can also pose a threat to the environment. The tyre dump, which stretches over 25 acres and is thought to be the largest in Europe, is not an official facility and has been steadily growing since the 1990s. It’s a stark reminder of the dangers of illegally dumping waste, and what happens when things get out of control.
Car tyres are one of the few things you can’t put in our skips. Unfortunately, the UK throws away over 55 million tyres a year, and many of them are illegally dumped instead of being disposed of properly. However, they can still be re-used and recycled. Here’s our guide to how to dispose of your old tyres.
Give them to your local playpark, zoo, or sports club.
Recycling tyres to use them in new products takes time and energy, but old tyres can simply be repurposed. In zoos, tyres are often used as enrichment for intelligent animals like big cats and monkeys – and little monkeys like tyre swings at the playpark, too! Tyres are also often used as exercise equipment for athletes and the military, so why not donate yours to your local sports club.
Get creative and upcycle your old tyres.
If you’re feeling crafty, you might want to upcycle your old tyres as a fun DIY project. From DIY tyre planters to stools and sculptures, there are plenty of ways you can stop your old tyres from going to landfill.
Pay a small charge for your garage to recycle them.
Most of the major tyre fitting and car servicing companies have the facilities to take away your old tyres when they fit you with new ones, and charge as little as £2 to do so. The charge covers the cost of a contract with a licenced waste carrier, administration, storing and transporting the tyres – so it is worth it.
Take them to your local recycling centre.
You can take tyres to your household waste recycling centre, but check with your local council first. There might be a limit to how many tyres you can take, and a small charge. Use the recycling locator on the Recycle Now website to see the nearest recycling centre you can take your old tyres to.
At WT Skip Hire, we’re licenced waste carriers and we take our responsibility to the environment seriously. We recycle around 90% of the waste we collect in our skips. Book your skip online or call us now on 01493 668118.
Do you have a creative recycling idea? Perhaps you’ve upcycled some of your waste into something amazing – share your pictures with us on Facebook and on Twitter at @WTSkipHire.