There is no doubt that these days, money is on everyone’s mind. More specifically, people are constantly stressing over the growing cost of items that are a part of their everyday lives. Not only does the cost of a finished product come into question, but what it costs to make it as well, because that will no doubt be a factor when it comes time for businesses to price their products and when we make our purchases. One way for both manufacturers and consumers to save money is to look into the usage of recycled products. Tire rubber is one such recyclable product, and it is being used in a number of everyday applications, such as the creation of recycled rubber sheets that can be used in the home and commercially. It has been found that the cost of recycled rubber is relatively low—both in its production and its consumption—when compared to the costs of both “virgin” rubber products (made from the petroleum products). As an added bonus to its low cost, rubber that is recycled is beneficial to our environment, which is a money-saving method in its own right.

Actively involved in the emergence of products obtained from discarded tire rubber is the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, also known as CalRecycle. Since the passing of the California Tire Recycling Act in 1989, CalRecycle has given a number of grants to business and public entities to help fund the research of the applications and the cost of recycled rubber, to determine if it is a viable product for everyday use and if it is a better alternative to the production of new and synthetic rubbers. In short, the research has produced answers in the affirmative, showing that it is both cheaper to produce and buy these recycled products, such as the recycled rubber sheets that are available applications in the home, in industrial and commercial locations, in public spaces, and in the preservation of the environment and our planet’s resources. CalRecycle also optimistically supports and advertises these same uses.

While CalRecycle has successfully helped to achieve an 80% recycling rate (with relation to discarded tires left at landfills), “[t]he ongoing challenge for CalRecycle is to continue to develop viable markets for the remaining 7.8 million waste tires that are being landfilled annually to achieve the California’s zero waste goals with respect to tires.” (http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/tires/Recycling/) It is likely that with increased research, as well as results that continue to show that recycled rubber is a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to the production and consumption of natural and synthetic rubbers, CalRecycle will be successful in its endeavors. The processes that are involved in creating products of recycled elastomers are less harmful to the environment and require less energy, thus reducing cost; clearly, the cost of recycled rubber alone is enough reason to encourage its use and support further research—amazing things have already been discovered in this field!

With an abundance of tire rubber that can be utilized as a new resource to create things like barriers, roads, pavements, protective surfacing, flooring, matting, and recycled rubber sheets, it is clear that we are looking at a sustainable and beneficial product. The applications of these resources are virtually limitless, and we only need to wait upon continued research to discover even more ways to utilize this great resource. We may even be looking at a new source of energy through the use of these materials, which address yet another of this nation’s and this planet’s growing concerns. Not only does it contribute to the conveniences of our everyday lives, but it is beneficial to the environment, and the cost of recycled rubber is definitively a way to both save money and make an investment for the future!

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