When we hear about old tires being recycled, it's usually their latex content and/or their steel fibers that are actually being harvested. They also contain fabric, which traditionally hasn't been nearly as useful. That may now be changing, however, as Spanish scientists have created a building material using tire fabric fibers.
Working with the companies COMSA and GMN, researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya mixed the fibers with recycled paper pulp and white glue.
The finished product can be manufactured in forms such as panels, depending on the application. It is said to be particularly well-suited to building construction and railway projects, as it has thermal and acoustic insulating qualities similar to those of rock wool or glass wool, but it's less expensive.
"Our material can reuse millions of tons of fibers that were previously sent to landfills at the end of the tires' life, thus saving energy and CO2 emissions," says team member Xavier Cañavate. "It also incorporates recycled paper pulp, which is very difficult to reuse."
Source: UPC
The mineral concentrations in a lot of (especially old) landfills is higher than in many viable mine sites, and biodegradibles sealed inside an effective landfill becomes a non decomposing time capsule, merely of interest to future archaeoloists.
on Another notemost of the stuff we stick in the ground came out of the ground in the first place, so we can just chip them back and stick them in the hole they came out of... There's a use for all those shipping containers backhauling empty.
To make into fibers requires shredding, that is energy intensive.
Cars are very practical forms of transportation. Their main shortcomings will be addressed in the next decade. Efficiency and environmental improvements through electrification (and this will be improved even more with the transition to renewable energy production over the next 2 or 3 decades). Higher utilization through time-sharing enabled by autonomy thereby reducing cost, accidents and congestion.
Cars are the best transportation solution developed by mankind. Cars are safe, reliable, able to carry a load (imagine doing your monthly grocery shopping on a snowy day on a bicycle living in a hilly area - now imagine being a frail 80 year old too) and transport us in comfort keeping us warm/cool and dry. And all these things will improve even further. And where it beats all others (public transportation, boats and planes) is that it's the ONLY point to point delivery vehicle. There simply is NOTHING as good on the transportation scene as a car. With electrification and autonomy the only shortcomings of the automobile will be addressed. Only a radical new technology (efficient and affordable autonomous flying vehicles) can improve on this. Bicycles are impractical and for fun. I know. I own 3 bikes and use them exclusively for fun and fitness. I ride 5 days a week for about 8 hours in total. It is a LOT of fun.