Green

Rubber Recycling

Rubber has been around for a long time ever since Columbus arrived in the Americas. While natural rubber comes from rubber-producing plants, synthetic rubber is created from saturated hydrocarbons. Almost 90 % of the world’s natural rubber finds its sources in South America, the Malay Peninsula and Sri Lanka.

However, it was not until the process of vulcanization was discovered that rubber began to be produced for commercial use. Apart from your everyday items like rainproof garments and waterproof cloth, rubber (thanks to vulcanization) is used commercially to make tires, conveyor belts, shocks absorbers, pipes and hoses while some of its specialized uses involve diving gear, power transmission belts and water lubricated bearings.

And just like all products, if rubber-based products are disposed of unsafely, they can pollute the environment due to their gradual decomposition. Apart from pollution, they also can take up landfill space (as used tires are disposed most of the time) as well as work as a breeding ground for the dengue fever virus that can grow in the water that has been collected inside these old tires. So, recycling seems to be the way to go.

In some countries, rubber tires and tubes can be further separated and reused to make different products such as buckets, doormats, water containers, pots, bicycle pedals, shoes, sandals and motor vehicle parts.

And for that to happen, you have to make a conscious decision to find recycling centers in your locality or by use the web to find organizations that need used rubber products (to make products like rubber mulch), and either transport it to the recycling unit or arrange for it to be picked up by the business.