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Waste Tires

Tire recycling, or rubber recycling, is the process of recycling waste tires that are no longer suitable for use on vehicles due to wear or irreparable damage. These tires are a challenging source of waste, due to the large volume produced, the durability of the tires, and the components in the tire that are ecologically problematic.

Because tires are highly durable and non-biodegradable, they can consume valued space in landfills. If waste tires are improperly managed they may cause rubber pollution. In 1990, it was estimated that over 1 billion scrap tires were in stockpiles in the United States. As of 2015, only 67 million tires remain in stockpiles. From 1994 to 2010, the European Union increased the amount of tires recycled from 25% of annual discards to nearly 95%, with roughly half of the end-of-life tires used for energy, mostly in cement manufacturing.

In 2017, 13% of U.S. tires removed from their primary use were sold in the used tire market. Of the tires that were scrapped, 43% were burnt as tire-derived fuel, with cement manufacturing the largest user, another 25% were used to make ground rubber, 8% were used in civil engineering projects, 17% were disposed of in landfills and 8% had other uses. (Excerpted from Wikipedia)

We hope the resources below will help you find a home for your used tires.

What are waste tires? 

This tire recycling wikipedia page offers a wealth of information and context for what waste tires are.

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Mineral County Landfill 

The Mineral County website has a page full of info on the Mineral County Landfill.

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CDPHE's Small Landfill 

The CDPHE Small Landfill page has several useful resources regarding this topic. As well as this link to their specific Waste Tire section.

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Hinsdale County Transfer Station 

The following link has information about the Hinsdale County Transfer Station.

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