Every year, approximately 300 million waste tires are generated in the United States. What happens to those tires has enormous environmental consequences — for air quality, water, public health, and wildlife. Here's the full picture.
The Problem: What Happens When Tires Aren't Recycled
When waste tires aren't properly recycled, they end up in one of several harmful places:
Illegal Dump Sites
Tires dumped on roadsides, in woods, and on vacant properties create eyesores, fire hazards, and breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes. South Carolina has thousands of illegal tire dump sites.
Landfills
Tires don't decompose in landfills — they can sit for 1,000+ years. They also 'bubble up' through landfill material over time, creating ongoing maintenance problems and taking up valuable space.
Tire Fires
Stockpiled tires are extreme fire hazards. Tire fires burn at over 1,000°F, release toxic chemicals (benzene, dioxins, heavy metals), and can burn for weeks or months.
Water Contamination
Tires leach chemicals into soil and groundwater over time. Tire piles that collect rainwater also create breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes, which carry diseases like West Nile virus and Zika.
The Solution: Environmental Benefits of Tire Recycling
When tires are properly recycled, the environmental benefits are significant and measurable:
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Landfill Space Preserved
Every recycled tire is one less tire taking up permanent landfill space. Recycling extends the life of existing landfills and reduces the need for new ones.
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Mosquito Breeding Eliminated
Recycled tires can't collect standing water. Proper disposal eliminates a major mosquito breeding source and reduces disease risk.
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Fire Hazards Removed
Recycled tire stockpiles don't exist. Proper disposal eliminates the risk of catastrophic tire fires and their toxic smoke.
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Water Protection
Recycled tires don't leach chemicals into soil and groundwater. Communities near recycling facilities have cleaner water than those near illegal dump sites.
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Energy Recovery
Tire-Derived Fuel (TDF) has higher BTU content than coal. Using TDF in cement kilns offsets fossil fuel consumption and reduces overall carbon emissions.
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Material Recovery
Steel, rubber, and fiber from tires are all recovered and reused. Nothing is wasted — every component gets a second life.
What Recycled Tires Become
Recycled tires don't just disappear — they become valuable materials used across multiple industries:
Tire-Derived Fuel (TDF)
Offsets coal use in cement kilns. TDF has ~15,000 BTU/lb vs. ~12,000 BTU/lb for coal — meaning less fuel is needed for the same energy output.
Crumb Rubber
Used in playground surfacing, sports turf, and rubberized asphalt. Rubberized asphalt roads last longer and require less frequent repaving — reducing construction waste.
Rubber Mulch
Lasts 10+ years vs. 1-2 years for wood mulch. Less frequent replacement means less transportation, less manufacturing, and less waste over time.
Steel Recovery
The steel in tires is extracted and recycled into new steel products. Recycled steel requires 75% less energy to produce than virgin steel.
Rubber Powder
Used in asphalt, industrial products, and manufacturing. Reduces the need for virgin rubber production, which requires petroleum and tropical deforestation.
The South Carolina Perspective
South Carolina faces particular environmental challenges related to waste tires:
- • The state's warm, humid climate makes mosquito breeding in tire piles especially dangerous — Aedes mosquitoes thrive in standing water year-round.
- • Rural counties like Williamsburg, Marion, and Dillon have high rates of illegal tire dumping, creating environmental hazards in communities with limited resources to address them.
- • The Lowcountry's coastal ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to chemical leaching from improperly disposed tires.
- • SC DHEC actively enforces waste tire regulations to protect the state's environment and public health.
The Economic Side of Environmental Impact
Environmental damage from improper tire disposal has real economic costs:
- • A single tire fire can cost millions of dollars to contain and remediate
- • Mosquito-borne disease outbreaks cost communities in healthcare expenses and lost productivity
- • Illegal dump sites depress property values in surrounding areas
- • Groundwater contamination cleanup can cost tens of millions of dollars
Tire recycling prevents all of these costs — and creates economic value through jobs, recycled products, and energy recovery.
Our Environmental Commitment
Eco Tire Solutions was founded on a simple belief: waste tires are a resource, not a problem. Every tire we collect is recycled into useful products — none are re-dumped, burned, or sent to developing countries. We're building a processing facility in Georgetown County that will create local jobs while keeping South Carolina clean.
SC DHEC Registered Waste Tire Hauler — Permit #WTH000541.
Do Your Part — Recycle Your Tires
Every tire recycled is one less environmental hazard. Schedule your pickup today.