Fact #434: July 24, 2006
Scrap Tire Recycling
The recycling of scrap tires has come a long way in the last decade. In 1990, only 11% of the tires that were scrapped were recycled or reused, but by 2003, that share grew to 80%. Technologies continue to be developed to provide new uses for scrap tires, which helps not only to reduce the number of newly scrapped tires going into landfills, but helps to reduce the number of scrap tires that are already in stockpiles around the U.S. There has been a 75% reduction in scrap tire stockpiles from 1990 to 2003.
Supporting Information
| Year | Recycled or Reused (millions of tires) |
Stockpiled/Landfill (millions of tires) |
Total Tires Scrapped (millions of tires) |
Share of Tires Recycled or Reused |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 24.5 | 198.5 | 223.0 | 11% |
| 1992 | 68.0 | 184.0 | 252.0 | 27% |
| 1994 | 138.5 | 114.5 | 253.0 | 55% |
| 1996 | 164.5 | 100.5 | 265.0 | 62% |
| 1998 | 177.5 | 87.5 | 265.0 | 67% |
| 2001 | 218.0 | 63.0 | 281.0 | 78% |
| 2003 | 233.3 | 56.7 | 290.0 | 80% |
|
Source: Rubber Manufacturers Association, U.S. Scrap Tire Markets, 2003 Edition, July 2004, Figure 2.0. | ||||
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