Used tires generally end up in landfills or are burned causing irreparable damage to the environment. It is important that we recycle rubber as it has a number of advantages.
Advantages of recycling rubber:
Recovered rubber is cost effective and is almost half the price of synthetic or natural rubber.
The amount of energy required to recycle rubber is less as compared to that required for producing virgin rubber.
A number of functional products can be made from recycled rubber.
Recycled or reclaimed rubber has some attributes that are not found in virgin rubber.
Recycling rubber would mean employment opportunities for people in developing countries.
It helps in the conservation of petroleum products used for manufacturing synthetic rubber.
The process of recycling rubber:
The process of recycling rubber involves processing the old tires under extreme heat and pressure. All the wires and steel belts that run through the tires are removed. The rubber is washed to get rid of all the impurities. What remains is used for a number of purposes.
Uses of recycled rubber:
Recycled rubber when used as flooring provides excellent grip and prevents people from slipping. When used on children’s playgrounds, road pavements and driveways recycled rubber prevent accidents from taking place. It also helps to soften a fall. Flooring made from rubber is cheaper compared to other material and is available in a number of colors. It is also very easy to maintain and clean flooring made of rubber.
Old rubber tires can be used as tree guards to prevent soil erosion, and also as fences or to decorate gardens. Planting potatoes in a stack of three or four tires filled with soil makes it easy to harvest the potatoes by simply removing the tires when the time comes.
Boat owners can use old tires as bumpers for their docks. They are used to line docks and function as shock absorbers. They are also used to construct crash barriers. Go Karting tracks also use old tires for prevent crashes.
For those living in the country or lakeside, old tires are ideal for swings that hang on sturdy ropes tied to tree branches that extend over the water. Holes punched at the bottom ensure that water drains out easily.
Burying a line of old tires to create a “tunnel” for kids to crawl through, stacking up two or three tires with a board on top to create a picnic table in the garden are some other options.
Shredded tires have been used in playgrounds and is added to asphalt that is used to make roads.
A number of useful items such as rubber bands, motor vehicle parts, doormats, garden hoses and mouse mats are made from recycled rubber.
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