During the past 20 years, Goodyear has developed programs to reuse whole scrap tires. The initial concepts of using scrap tires in floating breakwaters, tire reefs, crash barriers and playground equipment were developed by the company’s Machine Design Department. Although these types of projects reuse scrap tires, their markets are not growing significantly.
However Goodyear’s pioneering work in the use of scrap tires as an energy source have help to create successful growing markets.
In the 1970s, Goodyear used whole scrap tires as fuel in several projects. The company fueled boilers using 100 percent tires at its Jackson, Michigan and Wolverhampton, England plants, with limited success.
Also in the 70s, Goodyear used whole scrap tires with pulverized coal to feed a slagging boiler to generate electricity at its Akron, Ohio, headquarters. The successful technology is being shared with interested utility companies.
Goodyear Scrap Tire Efforts and Meeting the Challenge
During the past 20 years, Goodyear has developed programs to reuse whole scrap tires. The initial concepts of using scrap tires in floating breakwaters, tire reefs, crash barriers and playground equipment were developed by the company’s Machine Design Department. Although these types of projects reuse scrap tires, their markets are not growing significantly.
However Goodyear’s pioneering work in the use of scrap tires as an energy source have help to create successful growing markets.
In the 1970s, Goodyear used whole scrap tires as fuel in several projects. The company fueled boilers using 100 percent tires at its Jackson, Michigan and Wolverhampton, England plants, with limited success.
Also in the 70s, Goodyear used whole scrap tires with pulverized coal to feed a slagging boiler to generate electricity at its Akron, Ohio, headquarters. The successful technology is being shared with interested utility companies.
In 1975, the company invested $3 million in a joint venture – The TOSCO Project – to develop a pyrolysis facility in Colorado. Technically successful, it was not economical. The gas generated in the process was needed to fuel it. The resulting low-grade oil was marketable only as a crude oil blending material, while the carbon black/char, containing 20 percent ash, was not acceptable for tire production. Although some pyrolysis advances have been made, no viable unit has been built that produces tire-quality carbon black.
Goodyear furnished tires for a successful 1992 Tennessee Valley Authority test at Memphis, Tenn. The electricity generating facility used TDF to supplement coal in cyclone boilers.
Waste Recovery Inc. was one of the first scrap tire shredders in the industry. Goodyear has worked with WRI since 1986 and holds a minority interest in the company. WRI shreds tires into 2″ x 2″ TDF and in the process, removes over 96 percent of the wire.
In 1991, Goodyear began working with Indiana-based Cadence Environmental Energy which markets a whole-tire feed system to supplement fuel for cement kilns.
Meeting the Scrap Tire Challenge
Goodyear is acting now to enable its scrap tires to be handled in an environmentally sound way at the lowest cost to customer.
Energy is the largest, fastest growing market for scrap tires.
Using scrap tires for fuel is a win/win situation. Overall, the solid waste and air emissions are reduced, natural resources are conserved and energy independence is enhanced. In most cases, it is the most cost effective solution.
The goal to eliminate stockpiles can be achieved in the very near future.
There are many other uses for scrap tires that exist today and will evolve in the future. Each should be explored.