Everyone knows that, when it comes to road safety, keeping all four tires on the road is the goal. But when seasons change, it’s smart thinking to check the wear and tear on your vehicle’s tires to make sure they grip the road in all weather.
As tread wears down, your ability to respond to changing road conditions will diminish – and so will your odds of getting home safely. Autumn and winter are the seasons when heavy rains, high crosswinds, frost, ice and snow all make driving more dangerous, but upgrading to new tires can help.
If you’re already planning to get new tires, Tire Stewardship BC wants to remind you how important tire recycling is. It’s why tire retailers in B.C. will happily take back the old tires when you buy the new ones.
But if you have old tires at home, don’t worry, there are over 800 retailers across the province that will take those tires off your hands.
In fact, you’ve already paid in advance for tire disposal, thanks to the Advance Disposal Fee charged on every new tire, which some call an “eco fee.” These fees cover the cost of the program.
Recycling tires doesn’t just make space in your garage, it reduces what goes into landfills, creates jobs, saves precious resources and makes new products. When you’re at the ice rink, the rubber skate-safe flooring is made of old tires, and so are many running tracks and playgrounds. It’s also getting used for making landscaping mulch and door mats. Recycled tire products solve real needs in our communities and recreation centres while creating jobs.
If you’ve got old tires around the home, check rcbc.ca for a recycling location. Better yet, download their smartphone application, Recyclepedia, available free through their website and in app stores. It works for a variety of household products, showing the 10 closest recycling stations, which can take your tires or other materials off your hands.
Tire-recycling drop-off facilities are, like everywhere else, operating under new protocols in the age of COVID-19, so check what’s going on locally for you.
Tire Stewardship BC continues to work towards its vision of an environment free of scrap tires, and this is achievable when people like you are part of the solution. With the collection of the 100 millionth tire just around the corner, clearly, you have been playing your part, and Tire Stewardship BC is thankful for this.
Be sure to talk to your retailer about recycling options and look around your home for tires you can drop off for safe recycling.
