What to Do With Old Tires: A Guide from Les Schwab
The tread on your tires is designed to keep you safe with every passing mile. But over time, those tires will wear down and need to be replaced. The question is what to do with old tires when you buy new ones? As your trusted partner in responsible solutions, Les Schwab takes care of your old tires when you buy new ones from us. Let’s take a look at what happens to many of those tires when they are recycled, how tire recycling can help the environment, as well as some tips on how to repurpose your old tires.
Why Proper Tire Disposal Matters
According to some of the nation’s largest recycling and landfill centers, hundreds of millions of tires are disposed of every year. The exact numbers are hard to pin down, but some estimates put it close to 400 million. While old tires do decompose, they don’t deteriorate quickly. It can take nearly 100 years for a tire to become unrecognizable.
Thankfully, many of those millions of tires are finding their way to recycling centers or are being repurposed for other uses, such as football fields, track surfaces, and DIY projects.
At Les Schwab, our team takes tire recycling and disposal seriously. When you buy your tires from us, if you don’t want them back, we send those tires to third-party companies to be recycled as much as possible through targeted environmental leadership.
How to Recycle Your Tires Responsibly
Most states, counties, cities, and towns have specific laws around tire disposal. After all, when left unchecked, old tires can quickly cause environmental issues. To properly dispose of your old tires, check out these options.
Finding Local Recycling Centers
Do you have old tires that are unusable? There are places you can take those bits of rubber and tread for proper disposal.
Landfills: While throwing away a tire can cost money, many landfills have special tire disposal days that are either free or lower cost. Call your local landfill or waste station about tire recycling and drop-offs in your area.
Special tire disposal companies: There are many tire recycling companies in the U.S. Look for one in your area for proper disposal and possible recycling.
Community events: Watch for local community recycling events sponsored by your city or county government. These events often allow citizens to drop off hard-to-recycle items such as tires and appliances at little or no cost.
Wrecking yards: Some automobile wrecking locations will take old tires if they have at least 2/32 inches of tread. These companies prefer if you have four matching tires to drop off at one time.
Does Les Schwab Recycle Tires?
Les Schwab takes pride in being involved in local communities and environments. While Les Schwab does not offer tire recycling services, we do contract with several companies across the country for proper reclamation. These companies are registered and permitted, adhering to specific Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) guidelines to dispose of tires in the counties and states where we do business.
Many of those tires end up getting recycled. They are either ground up and made into crumb rubber (used in overseas powerplants) or used to create rubber truck mats, playground mats and ground cover, landscaping materials, gym mats, as well as football and outdoor sports fields and running areas. If your local high school has an artificial playing field or track, chances are it was made from recycled tires.
Creative Ways to Repurpose Old Tires
DIY Tire Projects
Instead of throwing away those old tires, give them new life with these do-it-yourself ideas.
Landscaping planters: While tires are not recommended for growing a garden, they can make lovely outdoor planters when the center is filled with dirt and plants. Spray paint the outside of the tire for a pop of color in your yard.
Tire swing: Have a nearby tree with a strong, lower limb? Add a rope to the tire and create this classic swing.
Porch side table or ottoman: Stacking several tires and securing them together with lag bolts creates the base for both a side table or ottoman. Now, top it off with either glass, wood, or an outdoor cushion.
Livestock uses: Old tires are perfect play structures for goats, offer traction for horses and cows in muddy paddocks, and make nice hay and salt block receptacles in smaller pastures.
Dispose of Old Tires with Ease at Les Schwab
When you buy your tires at Les Schwab, we’ll dispose of your old tires for you. Many of those tires will make their way to recycling centers to be turned into something new, such as football fields. Visit your nearby Les Schwab to find your next set of tires.
Sell or Donate Usable Tires
Selling or giving away your used tires is perfectly legal. But you might want to ensure the tires have enough tread for the next owner’s safety. To check your tires for wear, use the penny test and double-check the tread wear bars.
Tread wear bars help you quickly see how much tread you still have on a tire. To find these indicators, look for small, raised bars of rubber in the grooves of your tire running between the tread blocks. Is the tread higher than the wear bars? If so, you may still have enough tread. If those bars are even with the tread, it may be time for recycling.
Local and Legal Guidelines for Tire Disposal
Stacks of used tires can take up a lot of room, attract mosquitoes when laid flat and left unused in the elements, and slowly leach chemicals into your soil and nearby waterways. Proper disposal isn’t always easy, with many local waste facilities accepting tires only on designated days.
While there are no federal laws directly affecting tire disposal, each state does have its own tire disposal laws, along with sharp fines for improper dumping, burning, or burying.
Whatever you do, don’t attempt to dispose of old tires by either burying or burning them. The chemicals in those tires can be toxic both in the dirt and in the air. Plus, tires can burn for days or even weeks, bringing local fire officials and environmental protection agencies to your front door. Instead, find legal and easy ways to recycle old tires, including buying your next set at Les Schwab.
Why Choose Les Schwab for Tire Recycling
When you buy your tires at Les Schwab, you’re getting America’s Best Tire Warranty at no extra cost. Plus, you’re getting our assurance that your old tires will be sent out to be legally processed, either through recycling or proper landfill management.
Get Started Today with Les Schwab
Your local Les Schwab is ready to help with your brakes, battery, alignment, suspension, tires, wheels, windshield wipers, and more. Visit your nearby store and drive home with the tires and services you need, along with the added assurance that your old tires will be properly processed.