Tires, with their significant environmental impact across production, usage, and disposal, demand our immediate attention. Understanding these factors is not just essential, but urgent, for promoting sustainable tire repair practices and contributing to a healthier planet.
Resource Consumption & Pollution
Tire manufacturing is resource-intensive, requiring approximately 7 million tons of natural rubber annually, which is sourced primarily from tropical rubber trees. This cultivation often results in deforestation, disrupting local ecosystems and biodiversity. Additionally, the production process contributes to pollution through emissions and waste generation, exacerbating the ecological footprint of tires throughout their life cycle.

Disposal Challenges
The disposal of tires presents serious environmental challenges. Each year, an estimated 290 million tires are discarded in U.S. landfills alone. Tires take up significant space, persist for decades, and are non-biodegradable, leading to landscape degradation and creating habitats for pests such as mosquitoes. Furthermore, improper disposal can result in leachate contamination and greenhouse gas emissions due to trapped methane gas.
Recycling and Sustainable Practices
Recycling tires is a crucial component in mitigating their environmental impact. Effective tire recycling processes can convert around 80% of discarded tires into reusable materials, significantly reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions compared to incineration. For instance, producing new products from recycled tires typically consumes 40% less energy than virgin materials. Moreover, tire production technology advancements, with their focus on reducing resource consumption and emissions, inspire hope for a more sustainable future. Modern practices can achieve up to a 30% reduction in resource use by utilizing recycled materials in new tire production, thereby lessening the demand for virgin resources. Embracing these technologies not only enhances the durability of tires but also promotes a more sustainable tire industry, giving us hope for a greener future.
What is TECH’s role?
TECH is not just a company, but a force driven by our unwavering commitment to supporting the entire lifecycle of rubber. Our 4r strategic vision is to create and extract value from materials formerly considered at the end of their useful life. We serve the end-to-end needs of our customers, who implement earth-friendly, sustainable solutions using our products, providing reassurance and confidence in our shared commitment to the environment.
- Repair: When rubber needs to be reliably repaired, technicians rely on repair products, bonding agents, and tools from TECH™ Tire Repair, TECH Outdoors™, Truflex/PANG™, and Pang™ Industrial.
- Reuse: TRC has ownership interests in companies such as Polywood, which converts recycled milk jugs into outdoor furniture.
- Recycle: Rubber recycling reduces our industries’ impact on the environment. Also, TRC customers rely on recycling systems and molded products from Salvadori.
- Repurpose: Adapting or altering rubber to find new uses that create value for our customers.
Explore. Embrace. Excel.
TECH has you covered for the unexpected with a selection of tire repair kits along with tire sealants, tools, and more to keep your adventure going. Ensure you get back home safely so your journey never ends.
With us, your adventure is unstoppable.