What are the possible by-products of recycling scrap tires and how do I make them profitable?

It’s estimated that automobiles produce more than 245 million waste tires in the U.S. every year. The challenge is to keep those tires out of landfills—and fortunately, you can make money while doing it. We asked a panel of professionals to share innovative and profitable ideas for recycling scrap tires. Read on to learn more.

Molded and re-used

Old tires do not have to become another item in a landfill, essentially causing extra wastage on our planet. There are different ways to re-use tires, and recycling should be considered as a potential profit idea too.

A few different recycling techniques are available – so always start by considering what will be used.

The recycled by-products can then be utilized in order to produce quite a large number of materials. For example, the by-products can be used as a substitute for gravel – it can sometimes even be cheaper than gravel. Crumb rubber can be produced, and the by-products can be sold as an option for use in landfills.

The rubber by-product can also be molded – allowing it to be used in the production of parts used in the kitchen, in the design of shoes, and more.

Bottom Line: By-products resulting from tire recycling can be molded and re-used as a way of creating items sold for a profit.

To durable, stylish items

While there are plenty of industrial uses as well, the biggest opportunity for profit may be the fashion sector. Recycled rubber lends itself very well to durable, stylish items like wallets (I own one of those), purses, belts, and sandal/shoe soles.

However, for industrial companies, it’s important to recognize that for a B2B company to succeed in the consumer space, they have to make some mindset shifts. Their marketing has to reflect appeals to desires and not just needs.