What to do with old tire?

Old car tires are a problem that affects both residents of larger cities, as well as smaller towns and villages. The applicable legal regulations strictly prohibit the disposal of tires. The most severe penalties are imposed for burning tires and storing them in an inappropriate place. Fortunately, the view of a meadow or forest ravine filled to the brim with tires of anonymous drivers who decided to get rid of the problem in a non-compliant manner is less and less common. On the other hand, however, it is comforting that when traveling through Poland and other European countries, it is much easier to find creative uses of used tires.” – said Roksana Krzyżanowska.

Wymiana czy odnowa opony?

What can old tires be used for?

They can, for example, act as flower pots or flower beds in gardens, as well as elements of playgrounds for children, such as swings. The rubber structure is durable insulation and can be used to protect against unwanted mechanical damage due to the flexibility and durability of the material. What you can use used tires for depends only on the owner’s creativity, but it is worth making sure that the chosen application complies with applicable regulations.

Tire replacement or renewal - what are the advantages and disadvantages of such solutions?

Replacing worn-out tires with new ones is necessary when their condition prevents regeneration. First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to whether the structure of the tire has not been punctured or is too deformed as a result of everyday use. The level of tire wear can also be judged by the depth of the tread. For the measurement, it is worth using a suitable tool, i.e. tread depth gauge. The lower the value read, the greater the wear on the tire. Regeneration is a set of treatments that extend the life of tires, but you cannot expect that they will allow you to extend the useful life of tires indefinitely. It is certainly a greener solution as it allows you to maximize the service life, thus reducing the frequency of purchasing new tires. Tire replacement or renewal is a topic that should be discussed during your next visit to a mechanic or vulcanizer. The situation becomes more complicated because the amount of disposed and recycled tires per year is much lower than the number of new products arriving on the market per year. The time of natural disintegration is almost twice as long as the average human life. It is not difficult to count that there are currently more tires than people, which is reflected in the increasingly restrictive regulations on the disposal of used tires. Below we suggest where to return old tires or what to do with used tires so as not to generate additional storage costs.

Where can I return my old tires and how to store them?

Current legislation and long-term waste reduction plans have significantly increased the number of stationary points where old tires can be returned. Most auto repair shops, tire repair shops, and online tire wholesalers offer free pick-up of your old tires. It is a very attractive solution for people who want to save time and money.

It is also worth mentioning the possibility of a free return of used tires at voluntary waste delivery points. To locate the nearest place, it is worth visiting the website of the city or the nearest municipal office. It is less popular nowadays due to the extra time and fuel needed to get used tires to the right point on their own.

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Does age affect tire functionality - how to assess tire condition?

Vehicle and motorcycle owners often forget to check the tire production date. This is especially important when buying used tires because long-aged tires lose their properties. Inadequate storage conditions may deteriorate adhesion, accelerate operation and increase the vehicle’s braking distance. Exceeding the service life of a tire in the vast majority of cases means the need to replace the tires. The older the rubber is, the more often cracks appear on it, which increases the risk of losing adequate pressure in the wheel. Each tire manufacturer is obliged to mark the outer part of the tire frame with information about the precise date of production and the code of a particular factory. Any doubts about whether age affects tire functionality can be easily dispelled by recalling what tires look like if they have been left in the sun for too long. Deformations are most often visible to the naked eye, but when deciding to buy used tires, it is worth making sure that they were stored in the right conditions.

What to do with used tires?

Applicable legal regulations prohibit the storage of used tires in landfills or garbage dumps. Worn tires should be professionally disposed of as soon as possible. This means that they will be processed into recycling materials or used as energy recovery.