Approximately 300 million people live in the United States-and Americans improperly dispose of nearly the same number of old tires each year. In the United States alone, businesses and individuals alike get rid of 240 million tires each year. Only a small percentage of those tires go to sustainable recycling, while nearly 77% end up in landfills or illegally abandoned.

But why does it matter if old tires get left out in the environment or placed in a landfill? The truth is that the sheer number of old tires combined with their material makeup means tires are hazardous to the public and the environment when not properly disposed of.

In this blog, we’ll help you understand several things regarding safe tire disposal. You’ll learn when your tires are no longer usable on the road, why they require recycling and what they’re made of, and how you can dispose of and repurpose old tires.

When Tires Should Become Scrap Material

Much of what determines a tire’s usefulness comes from the condition of its treads. As your tires age, they lose tread definition, which then reduces the amount of traction they provide. This loss of traction especially becomes a problem for drivers who encounter inclement weather like snow and rain.

With a loss of traction comes a loss of vehicle control, which increases your chances of collisions and accidents. So how do you know when your tires become a hazard on the road? To figure out exactly how deep your tire treads are, consider using the following technique.

The Penny Test

The penny test helps you measure the amount of tread left on the tire. First, place a regular penny between the tread strips on your tire. Make sure to position the coin so Lincoln’s head points downwards. If you cannot see the very top of Lincoln’s head, this means your tires are currently safe to use.

To ensure that you have even more tread height, use the Lincoln Memorial side with the memorial pointing down. If you cannot see the memorial at all, you know that you have more than 3/32″ of tread.

Most state laws require a tread depth of at least 2/32″ for safety reasons. If your tires have less than the recommended amount, invest in new tires that will ensure vehicular traction while driving.

If you determine that your tires’ tread isn’t deep enough, read below to learn what to do with your old tires and why it’s so important to find a safe way to dispose of them.

What Tires Are Made Of

Rubber is one of the top ingredients for tires, which is why they’re so important to recycle. The rubber compound in tires doesn’t decompose, and even creates buoyancy that interferes with landfill contaminant barriers.

But tires contain much more than just rubber. Tires also contain fiber, textile, and steel cords to reinforce their durability. Much like rubber, these materials don’t break down, which means they cause environmental harm when not properly disposed of and recycled.

How Tires Help When They’re Recycled

Three main industries make use of old scrap tires, including the civil engineering, road paving, and tirefuel industries.

Countless civil engineering applications utilize scrap tires for insulation, aggregate, and fill material. Road paving also repurposes old scrap tires to create a stronger road-building material called asphalt rubber, which requires little maintenance.

When properly regulated, tire-derived fuel, or TDF, offers a safe alternative to fossil fuels. Different combustion types have the capacity to burn whole or shredded tires, which provides heat and energy along with reduced emissions and increased environmental benefits.

How to Creatively Repurpose Tires

When you recycle your tires properly, one of the three above industries can use them for environmentally friendly purposes. But if you have a creative streak and want to hang on to your old tires, consider using them to create a unique planter, coffee table, or yard decoration. The Internet provides unlimited ideas on how to repurpose and reuse end-oflife tires.

To find out how you can safely dispose of tires in your area, contact your local disposal provider today.

Normally, you have the most spick-and-span property on the block, but you missed spring cleaning this year. Now your home looks disorganized and cluttered, and you feel embarrassed when your friends and relatives come to visit. You need some way to get a handle on the mess so your home looks flawless again.

If this describes your situation, you’ve come to the right place. Below, you’ll find a few tips to help you tackle the disarray both inside and outside your house.

Conquer the Untidy Interior

1. Rent for your unwanted Junk

Before you do anything else, contact your local waste removal company to rent a dumpster. This dumpster will hold any items you don’t want as you go through the clutter. Then, once you’ve finished your cleaning, you can simply call the company to remove the dumpster and all of your wanted junk.

If you want to preserve the environment as you clean, ask your waste removal company if they have a recycling program in your area.

2. Reorganize Your Bookshelves

Start with the easiest clutter culprits first, like bookcases and other open shelving. Don’t forget shelves that store your movies, video games, music, and trinkets. If you see items that you haven’t touched in years, throw them out or donate them. And if some items simply look too old or grimy to reuse, throw them away as well.

3. Comb Through Cupboards and Closets

Tackle closets, cupboards, drawers, and other small, enclosed areas next. When you see worn-out dishes, boxes of used clothes, or other knickknacks that you’ll never use again, put them in the dumpster. After you free space in these areas, you can use them to house essential items that currently clutter your floors and countertops, like paperwork and small appliances.

4. Attack the Garage

The garage doesn’t matter as much as the main part of your house. After all, visitors rarely see your garage. But if you still have energy, go through your garage next and clear out all nonessential items. For example, you may have odds and ends lying around from your last construction project. You don’t need these materials, so put them in your dumpster.

5. Clean Your House from Top to Bottom

Now that you have an uncluttered interior, go through your normal cleaning routine. You’ll likely find a few small and unnecessary items you missed during the steps above.

However, even though you’ve scoured every surface and purged all nonessentials at this point, your home might not look neat yet. Perform the following extra tasks, or have a professional do them for you, to erase the effects the chaos left behind.

• Clean your carpets, especially in areas where dirty clothes, boxes, and other items sat on the floor.
• Touch up paint if the mess stained or chipped it.
• Scour stains and food particles out of any hard flooring.
• Wash windows inside and out.

After you’ve completed all these steps, you’ll regain the perfect interior you’ve missed for so long.

Trim the Wild Exterior

1. Rent a Dumpster for Green Waste

Garbage and recycling companies can take green waste for composting. This waste should not end up in a landfill, so don’t just throw your branches and weeds into the same dumpster as your old junk.

2. Take Care of Tree and Shrub Pruning First

Before you concern yourself with the little details around your yard, trim the largest plants first. Prune sick or dead branches to preserve your trees’ health.

If your trees have grown into power lines, do not attempt to trim them on your own. Avoid the electrocution risk and have a professional perform this task for you.

3. Gather Everything That Looks Dead

Once you’ve trimmed your trees and put the debris in the dumpster, you can move on to smaller details. Find all the dead leaves and plants in your yard and dispose of them. Your flowerbeds will look instantly neater.

4. Thoroughly Weed Your Lawn and Flowerbeds

After you have all the dead plant matter out of the way, you can see weeds more clearly. Stay especially alert for grasses that invade your flowerbeds-they will spread quickly if you let them, and then your yard will look untidy again.

5. Clear Tools and Other Items off Your Porch or Patio

Your deck, patio, or porch should not act as a storage space. If anything other than furniture and a grill sits there, put those extra items in the garage or throw them away.

If you still don’t know how to handle all the extra junk around your property, call your local waste and recycling expert. They will be able to help you get rid of larger items, like old appliances and unwanted furniture. In the meantime, use the tips above to catch up on this year’s spring cleaning.