There is an increasing concern for the significant volume of tyres that are being discarded and forgotten in Australia. This worry comes from the fact that tyre waste is growing on average by 459,000 tonnes a year, and 30% of that material is piling in landfills or is being irresponsibly dumped.
The consequences of these tyres not being recycled are plants and animals dying, a flow-on effect from the waste being burned off and its chemicals being released into the air, water and soil.
The simple answer – people mistakenly see the tyre recycling process as a pain. They’re heavy and awkward to handle, but most notably, the tyres are made of a complex composition. Tyres contain various materials, including rubber, steel, and synthetic fibres. These materials require specialised tyre recycling systems to be broken down, which is why so many Australians are opting for the easy option of landfills or illegal dumping.
Of course, the great benefit of tyre recycling where 100% of the materials are being recycled, is that the environment is no longer subject to the battering it receives through the burnt chemicals.
But also importantly, what it does is it creates a circular economy. This sees the emergence of new industries, new sustainable uses for the tyres’ materials and new employment opportunities. These are benefits shared by all Australians, and something we should all strive to achieve with tyre recycling.
We designed and installed a car tyre recycling system for McKeno Blocks & Pavers in Western Australia. This system separates the metal from the rubber simply and cost-effectively.
Your business has access to various options for its tyre recycling needs. Waste Initiatives provides systems that produce different output sizes of cut-down material, from strips of shredded tyres to granular powder.
Your options therefore, extend to which material you would prefer to output and sell. To the right, you will see the whole process in our connected tyre recycling system and the outputs of the material you will receive.
TDF is short for Tire Derived Fuel, and is the first stage of the tyre recycling process. As mentioned, this initial stage outputs strips of shredded tyres, known as chips. Using either primary or secondary shredders, the size of these chips varies between approximately 35 to 254mm in length.
Note that in accordance with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s regulations from 2021, chips below 150mm in size are approved to be exported when intended to be converted into TDF, if your business holds an export licence.
We offer Barclay-manufactured primary shredders, which accept tyres as large as 1.8 metres in diameter. These tyre recycling machines can be selected from either a side-load or top-load configuration, producing strips between 124mm and 254mm long. Aptly named the ‘workhorses’ in our tyre recycling range, these machines can process up to 20 tons per hour on a single pass-throughput. This offers fantastic value for tyre recycling, being the lowest cost per ton to operate. Their impressive design and high-quality cutter also require little maintenance, ensuring costs stay low well into the future.
Secondary shredders, likewise produced by Barclay, are also available for a finer cut of your tyre waste. Different options in our secondary options range can vary the output of shredded chips between 35 and 91mm in length.
Many of our clients are choosing to eliminate their tyre waste concerns through the TDF tyre recycling process, aware of the benefits in producing a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. But who are the industries that now rely on TDF and benefit from this energy source, which burns 25% more efficiently than coal?
Burned in kilns to produce gypsum for concrete mix, TDF is a perfect match for the cement manufacturing industry. These facilities burn both the rubber and the wire content, eliminating the need for wire removal and reducing processing costs.
Electric utility companies reduce their nitrate emissions and increase the heat of their boilers by using TDF as an alternative fuel.
Pulp and paper mills also achieve better efficiency when they combine TDF with wood chips in their fire, and less toxic heavy materials output in the ash than coal.
TDF is short for Tire Derived Fuel, and is the first stage of the tyre recycling process. As mentioned, this initial stage outputs strips of shredded tyres, known as chips. Using either primary or secondary shredders, the size of these chips varies between approximately 35 to 254mm in length.
Note that in accordance with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s regulations from 2021, chips below 150mm in size are approved to be exported when intended to be converted into TDF, if your business holds an export licence.
A great benefit of tyre crumbs being increasingly used in construction, is that workers are dealing less with harmful materials and chemicals that jeopardise their health. The asphalt modification industry is a notable example. Highlighted by Dr Linda Mitchell in 2022 for TyreStewardship Australia, the report noted that the inclusion of crumb rubber did not increase negative symptoms for construction workers, nor was it carcinogenic.
The full report can be found HERE.
Talk to Waste Initiatives today to find out more about our waste & recycling solutions.
1800 441 100
info@wasteinitiatives.com
