Wednesday September 13, 2006

Tyre waste

thestar.com.my :

As a nation that loves cars, we inevitably discard huge heaps of old tyres. Unfortunately, very few of them are recycled into things like rubber asphalt, reclaimed rubber and spongy flooring; most end up as eyesores and pest-breeding grounds.

The irony of it all is that at least two companies have use for old tyres and in large amounts too, but they are getting the stuff from abroad instead of using what we ourselves discard. Lafarge Malayan Cement is shipping in shredded tyres from Singapore to fuel its cement kiln in Langkawi, while Advanced Pyrotech will process waste tyres from Japan into oil, steel and carbon black when its pyrolisis plant comes up next year. Both companies say local sources are unreliable as supplies are inadequate and erratic in the absence of a collection system.

Many countries ban scrap tyres from landfills as they are bulky, do not degrade, cause uneven settlement, breed pests, ignite easily, and belch noxious smoke and toxic oils when burned. In any case, tyres do not belong in dumps since they are recyclable. Lafarge industrial senior vice-president Philippe Quemener points out, "the consumer has to understand that a used tyre can become a potential threat to the environment and he has to feel responsible for it." We have long ignored the problem but tyre heaps can only get bigger with each new car that rolls down the assembly line.

(2006-09-13 12:52:21 SGT) [Env] Permalink

Most popular blog postings on lowem.log :

1. Singapore MRT rail network length to double by 2020
2. 2010 Nissan Leaf electric car specifications : 107hp, 24KWh lithium-ion batteries, 100-mile range
3. Live spot gold price quotes chart on COMEX
4. 2010 Toyota Prius specifications released : 50 mpg, 1.8L, 134hp, Ni-MH, solar roof option
5. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2011 direct download link
6. Real-time live gold and silver price quotes chart on COMEX
7. Singapore electric vehicles : Government agencies EMA and LTA to study EV introduction
8. Book review : Shut Down by William Flynn

Featured articles on lowem.log :

1. Book review : Shut Down by William Flynn
2. Singapore electric cars testing starts with 9 electric vehicles
3. Honda, GS Yuasa JV to make lithium-ion batteries for 2010/2011 Honda Civic Hybrid
4. 2010 Honda Civic Hybrid preliminary specifications released
5. 2010 Honda CR-Z hybrid, 2010 Honda Fit/Jazz hybrid models confirmed
6. 2010 Toyota Prius specifications released : 50 mpg, 1.8L, 134hp, Ni-MH, solar roof option
7. NYMEX crude oil recovers from $32.40 low after 2.2 mbpd OPEC production cut announced
8. Singapore : Nuclear power not ruled out