An e-magazine Truck&FleetMe.com reports that the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer) has opened its expanded used tire recycling facility in Abu Dhabi with a capacity to treat 70,000 tons of end-of-life tires annually. The project was built in partnership with a private sector company Tarheel to ensure the safe disposal of used tires for minimizing environmental and public health risks.

A statement from Tadweer said the private sector partner it has contracted with is Tarheel Collecting Wastes LLC, an Abu Dhabi-based firm with over 10 years of expertise in waste management and environment services. Under the partnership, Tarheel collects and cleans used tires prior to their recycling and treatment at the dedicated facility, which has recycled nearly 17,000 tons of tires this year until the end of the third quarter. Tarheel has set up a new integrated automated plant in collaboration with its Italian partner to increase its total facility capacity to 100,000 tons annually.

A statement from Tadweer said that in expanding its end-of-life tire recycling facility, it seeks to significantly reduce the health and environmental risks associated with burning tires, which causes serious damage to water, soil, air and public health, and could lead to diseases such as asthma, cancer, allergies, etc. Tire burning can also have detrimental effects on the planet by driving global warming, Tadweer added.

The disposal of used tires in landfills causes serious environmental effects as the rubber can take up to 1000 years to decompose due to its high sulfur content. This has prompted countries across the world to ban scrap tires from landfills, with the European Union issuing legislations that include a complete ban on the landfill disposal of tires to protect public health and environment.

Tadweer added that recycling of end-of-life tires provides an excellent opportunity to use them as an alternative fuel in cement manufacturing. Scrap tires are used in cement kilns where they are burnt at high gas temperatures of 1000-1200°C resulting in an instantaneous, complete and smokeless tire combustion.

According to Tadweer, tire-derived fuel (TDF) is more cost effective than fossil fuels and helps preserve natural resources by reducing the dependence on fossil fuels. TDF allows cement manufactures to reduce emissions and production costs, turning scrap tires from an environment and public health challenge to an efficient source of alternative energy.

Dr. Salem Al Kaabi, director general of Tadweer, said: “The opening of our expanded used tire recycling facility is aligned with Tadweer’s strategic objective of converting used tires from an economic burden into a valuable economic resource. In addition to reducing the adverse effects of scrap tires on public health and the environment, the expanded facility will go a long way in saving energy and cutting related costs.

“Tadweer is committed to stepping up collaboration with its partners from the government and private sectors to benefit from global expertise in the safe disposal of used tires to protect the environment from the adverse effects of harmful ingredients used in tire production. In addition to reducing pollution significantly, Tadweer’s approach in dealing with such materials has helped the local market to source materials locally in line with the highest international quality and safety standards.

“Tadweer will continue to utilize the latest recycling technologies and global best practices to achieve its goal of safeguarding public health, preserving the environment and supporting the sustainable development of Abu Dhabi.”

Article: courtesy of Truck & Fleet Middle East.