What’s The Best Way to Get Rid of Tires?

With the average tire life expectancy around 6 years, you’re going to go through several sets of tires throughout your life. You’ve probably wondered … where does all that rubber go? If you buy a new set of tires and still have your old set sitting around, what should you do with them? Can tires be recycled? How are they safely disposed of? 

Yes, tires can be disposed of, and it’s pretty easy if you know what to look for. This post will answer your questions about getting rid of old tires. We’ll explain some standard disposal fees, whether you can get paid or not for the old rubber, and why it may be worth it to recycle the rubber over throwing it away. 

To properly dispose of used tires, you may need to find a third party to get rid of your tires. 

How Are Tires Disposed? Third-Party Tire Recyclers

When a tire needs to be replaced, it doesn’t necessarily mean the rubber is “bad” (although sometimes the rubber can be weathered down, dried out, or starting to crack). Rubber from tires can be burnt to create tire-derived fuel or recycled and used again as crumb rubber, which is used on rubberized asphalt. 

Tires are not, however, disposed at landfills in most states. This is because tires aren’t very biodegradable and have a lot of empty volume in the middle of the tire where the wheel would normally be seated. This empty volume wastes a lot of space in a landfill. In some states, landfills may shred tires and use the rubber in backfill operations (the process of repurposing old waste for materials). If a landfill offers to dispose of your tires, it may be part of the backfill process, but it is illegal to put rubber tires in landfills in 36 states (Source: Earth911). 

Tire recycling is far more common, as the rubber that tires are made of is still useful. Tire recyclers remove the steel wires and other materials within the tire to extract the rubber. Then, the rubber is cleaned, sorted, and eventually resold to other companies that use rubber for their products. 

Recycled rubber can be used for: 

• Fuel*
• Ground rubber (rubberized asphalt)
• Civil engineering
• Flooring
• Railroad ties
• Playground turf

*About 1.4 million tons (over 76 million tires) were used to create TDF, or tire derived fuel, in 2021, according to USTA. 

Where Can I Recycle Tires?

Because recycling is the best way to get rid of tires, you’re probably wondering where and how you can do this? What tires can be recycled?

If replacing your tires at a mechanic, installer, or auto store, ask if the service price includes tire disposal. Sometimes, the cost of new tires can include a state tax for the cost of disposing your old tires. Also, some tire installers may charge fees for tire disposal. 

Otherwise, you’ll have to either find a rubber recycler near you or do it yourself. Car tires, truck tires, bike tires, and any other rubber tire can be recycled at a tire recycler. 

Tire removal services are fairly common in most states due to the high volume of tires replaced every year. By searching “tire recyclers near me,” you’ll probably see several options for recycling tires. These services will either be a tire collection pickup or dropoff.

Dropoff costs $1 to $5 per tire, on average. It may be free if you have only a few tires. There’s just the convenience issue of having to drive to a place to recycle your tires, but it’s by far the cheapest option. Dropoff will take more time, as you have to drive to the tire recycler, which can be far from urban centers. 

Tire Collection Pickup can cost greater than $5 per tire, as it involves the service picking up your tires from your home via a truck. Because tires take up a lot of empty volume, it can be inefficient for a truck to transport a lot of tires at a time. You will need to reserve a tire pickup ahead of time. But, it’s far more convenient to have someone pick up your tires. 

To recycle tires yourself, you’ll need to remove the tire rim, all the weights added to your tire, and the steel lining within the tire. Once this is done, you can cut up the rubber with a power tool (be cautious when doing this, as tires have a lot of wires inside of them to maintain the shape of the tire). You’ll have a lot of rubber when you’re done.

About Illegal Tire Dumping

If you've found a site where tires have been illegally dumped, you may be able to get help with removal. You can start with your state's hazardous waste agency. 

Keep your eyes open for "hard to recycle" events. These are local events where residents are invited to recycle things like batteries, paint and old tires. Your local waste management or solid waste authority may have information about these types of events.

Creative Uses for Old Tires

Here are a few creative ideas for recycling tires:

• Compost bins: See this post on Instructables, which stacks old tires to create a composting bin.
• Tire swing: Instructables explains how to make a tire swing (with images). 
• Sandboxes: Ideas2Live4 shows how to convert large tires into sandboxes for kids.
• Furniture: You have to see these tire chairs on Pinterest.
• Raised garden beds: See these raised garden beds on Instructables.
• Container garden: Morning Chores creates a vegetable garden out of old tires.

Whatever you do, don’t just throw away the tire or rubber once you’re done with it. 

Quick Hits About Getting Rid of Old Tires

Where can I get rid of old tires? Contact your local waste management company or government agency. If they don't handle tire recycling, they should know who does. Also, try searching for "tire drop off near me." 

Do scrap tire recyclers pay you for tires? Not to our knowledge, and most charge $1 or more per tire.

So, who takes old tires, then? The answer varies by state. About 36 states ban tires from landfills. You may be able to take the tires to a tire recycling facility, used tire recycling center, or tire shredding company. Expect to pay $1 or more per tire that you drop off.

Where can I dump tires legally? Dumping tires is generally frowned upon and in many places illegal. Get rid of old tires by (1) calling your local waste management company, (2) calling a third-party junk removal company or tire collectors, or (3) taking your tires to a legitimate tire disposal or recycling organization. 

Tire Agent Disposal Options

When ordering a new set of tires through Tire Agent, we can ship your tires directly to you. If you know how to take off old tires and install new tires, this could be a great option for you (but make sure self-installation of tires doesn’t void your warranty). Take your old tires to a local tire shop; even if they did not install your tires, they may take your old tires for a fee. 

Tire Agent can also ship your new tires directly to an installer or mechanic of your choice. When installing new tires, these stores will typically handle the disposal of your old tires for you. If you just need your old tires gone, this is probably the easiest option. But, not every mechanic disposes of tires for free. Ask your installer if they’ll dispose of your old tires and how much it will cost you. Our research finds that tire installers typically charge a few dollars per tire. If it’s a significant extra fee, you can save money doing it yourself, if you’re willing to do the work. 

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