Previously, worn-out tires and written-off rubber seals were massively dumped into landfills, but the introduction of new regulations has fundamentally changed the procedure for handling such materials. Now the environment requires strict control. Waste residual products contain carbon black, vulcanizing agents, heavy metals, and synthetic rubber, which makes them potentially hazardous for soil and underground aquifers. For industrial facilities, a classic example of the generation of such residues is the use of DS-40 type shredder units and thermal pyrolysis reactors, where the temperature reaches 600 °C. At the same time, UtilVtorProm enterprise provides professional acceptance and transportation of the specified substances by specialized transport.
Used car tires according to the national list have the official code 16 01 03. Unlike them, rubber-technical products containing hazardous solvents belong to the code 07 02 99*.
Thermal pyrolysis at 600 °C and mechanical grinding
The accumulation of old tires in non-specialized areas creates constant risks of high-temperature fires, which are extremely difficult to extinguish with improvised firefighting means. During the open burning of rubber compounds, carcinogenic benzopyrene, sulfur oxides, zinc compounds, and highly toxic carbon monoxide are released into the atmospheric air. Uncontrolled decomposition of the synthetic polymer under the influence of ultraviolet light lasts more than 100 years. Where this cannot be stopped naturally, toxic infiltrates are easily washed out by rainwater and enter the nearest open water bodies. As a result, the chemical composition of the soil changes and useful microflora is completely destroyed. Therefore, open storage of such materials is a gross violation of environmental safety requirements.
Enterprise action procedure according to the 2023 regulations
- Conducting primary inventory and sorting of worn-out tires.
- Temporary placement of materials in covered storage areas with a hard surface.
- Execution of accompanying documentation and transfer of data to state registries.
- Transportation by specialized motor transport to the processing site.
Mechanical grinding in knife crushers allows separating the material into metal cord and crumb. The resulting rubber fraction with a size of 2 mm is used as raw material for covering sports grounds. Unlike mechanical crushing, the method of high-temperature pyrolysis in an oxygen-free environment makes it possible to obtain liquid fuel fractions and carbon black. The gas residue powers the operation of the unit. To clean all exhaust gases, special scrubbing towers with an alkaline solution are used, which completely neutralize acidic sulfur compounds. The metal wire, after magnetic separation, is completely sent to metallurgical plants for re-melting in electric arc furnaces. Automated control systems measure emission levels in real time.
Processing parameters on knife shredders
During continuous operation, specialized grinding lines process up to 3 tons of raw materials per hour, extracting textile fiber. The use of industrial magnetic separators makes it possible to extract more than 99% of the steel cord from the total mass of shredded raw materials. The influence of low temperatures increases the brittleness of the polymer and significantly accelerates its destruction. The cryogenic method of destruction using liquid nitrogen at a temperature of minus 196 °C makes it possible to obtain fine rubber powder. Such dispersed material is added to the composition of modern asphalt-concrete mixtures to increase strength.
Rubber waste processing services
Business entities transfer written-off rubber products on the basis of an officially concluded agreement. The licensed enterprise UtilVtorProm performs the collection, transportation, and subsequent processing of such waste. Customers receive a full set of mandatory acceptance certificates and environmental reporting for submission to regulatory authorities in accordance with current legislation.