Recycling used tires is a great way to save Mother Earth. We all want to find environmentally friendly ways to repair this planet, but what if you can earn money and practice green living? It’s possible these days especially if you’re recycling used tires!
Each year, the United States is producing billions of used tires. In the state of Illinois alone, their citizens supply more or less 14M used tires every year. If you divide the numbers, that’s one to two used tires per person annually. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency or IPEA provided this statistic.
Recycling used tires has been a practice by communities in the US for quite some time now and in some parts of the world, people are also making the effort because it’s a life-saving activity. Knowing that the habit of using old tires can earn us some cash, it makes us want to learn more ways to do it.
Can I Recycle Used Tires And Make It A Business Of Mine?
The answer is YES! You can make money out of used tires, especially if you partner up with local car shops. You have to acquire their used tires and bring it to recycling centers. Each tire that you bring will earn you some money. If it’s that easy and profitable, then, why can’t owners of car shops bring the tires to the recycling facilities?
It’s not a common business practice for car shops to sell their used tires to recycling facilities. Regularly, these shops can dispose of the old tires in two ways:
The car shops staff can bring the old tires to the facilities.
Used tires for car shops are considered junk. It’s a waste of their shop space, and they can’t do anything with it. Now, if they bring the tires to the facilities themselves, then, they will have to pay for the gas, and hauling, if ever. It will also use up their working time just to bring the tires. Car shop owners would rather give the tires to someone else (for a fee or for free) and let them dispose of it.
The car shops can make a pickup schedule with the used tires recycling facilities.
This is a great opportunity. Recycling facilities are more than happy to pick up the used tires in a car shop. There’s just one thing – the pickup agreement must entail a minimum number of tires. The car shop must provide at least 100 tires for every pickup transaction with a recycling facility. It means that the car shop must have the space to store 100 tires. It’s one of the reasons why, as mentioned above, car shops would love for people to get their used tires from them because of storage space issues.
For most states, there is the scrap tire storage law and these policies are strict. Car shops don’t want to store tires in their place of business because the laws are a challenge to satisfy, and if they can find a way to let go of the old tires, they will want to do it willingly.
And so, a regular person like you can earn from this type of money-making activity. It is beneficial for you that car shops don’t want to store these tires and you are someone who will take the tires off of their hands. Come to think of it, the whole thing is a win-win situation for both!
How To Make Money By Recycling Used Tires
If you have a pick-up truck, then, bringing old tires to recycling facilities will work for you.
If you don’t mind using your truck to haul the tires and if it’s fine with you to get your hands dirty, then, you can start your used tires business. Go to these car shops in your area, tell them about your business, and talk to the manager about taking the used tires from them. Some will even pay you a “per tire fee” if you collect the old tires and dispose of it on their behalf. After that, bring the tires to the recycling centers.
Get ready to carry the tires up and down your truck. Some car shops will help you load the tires to your truck, but there are others who wouldn’t give you the assistance. Facilities for recycling old tires may have some employees to unload the tires from your truck, but it’s not always the case. What I’m saying is that, if you want to start this business, then, you need to do the heavy lifting at times, literally.
If you have space, then, use it as storage for the old tires.
Owning a pick-up truck for this kind of business is necessary. You cannot carry tires in a minivan or an SUV. While it is possible, you can only load about two or three tires in these tiny cars. It’s not enough.
Now, if you’re going to pick-up the tires from car shops, you also need a storage space. You cannot pick-up and drive the tires directly to the recycling facilities on the same day always. There are days when you cannot do that. With this, you need a big space to store your used tires.
Why Do You Need The Space?
Take for instance a tire retreading center. This type of firm can be your client if you’re going into the recycling old tires business. They will pick up the tires from you, but it has to be in volume. The least number of tires that they’re going to pick up must be 100. Car shops don’t have the space for that and it’s the main reason why they don’t do the business.
You, on the other hand, if you have a truck and a huge storage space for the tires, then, you can start this type of business. When you’ve hoarded at least one hundred tires, you can contact the tire recycling facility and schedule a pickup.
How Much Money Can You Make?
Some car shops will give you $3 per tire if you’re picking it up from their shops. As for tire recycling centers, the flat rate is $1 for each tire. You also need to consider your gas costs and allocate a wear and tear fund for your truck. With all that, you have roughly $1.70 left on each tire. That’s not bad at all considering you have no capital investment on your tires. This is going to be a great side business for you.
But here’s an idea – how about you make this your home-based business? In time, with effort and perseverance, you can achieve a 5-figure income on this business alone. How can you do that? You have to pick up tires from car dealers and gasoline stations on a daily basis. From there, it’s easy to earn at least $100 daily from the pick-up fee to the selling of tires to recycling facilities and retreading shops. This can be your steady income provided there is an abundance of car shops and tire recycling facilities in your area.
Registering Your Used Car Tires Business
Car shops and recycling facilities would like to do business with people who are serious about selling old tires. It would be beneficial for you if you register your used car tires business if you’re sure about it. Go to your city hall and ask for details about opening up your used car tires business. In most states, they charge $50 for the registration. A business registration will make you reputable, reliable and responsible. Of course, your performance as a business owner will also be a major factor.
Finding Recycling Facilities And Retreading Centers
Locating these facilities is easy. Check out RecycleNation.com. It is the yellow pages of all recycling centers in the United States. You will be able to locate all the facilities nearby. Just input your zip code and press enter.
It would be very helpful on your part to visit this website – EPA.gov. It has all the important information like the laws and the regulations regarding the start-up of a recycling business in the United States.
Can I Still Make Money With Tires Even If I Don’t Sell Them To Recycling Centers?
Of course, you can! Not everyone can pick-up, store, and haul hundreds of old tires. You can still make money out of tires and start using those that you have in your own garage. But what can you do with it? There are ways to make something out of old tires that can earn you some bit of cash.
How about making a tire swing? Here is a step by step guide on how to do it.
- Clean the tire thoroughly. Scrub all the dirt on the tire before making it a swing. Wipe it down with a towel after giving cleaning.
- Make holes on the sides of the tire.
- Insert a sturdy rope in the holes of the tires and lock it.
OUR VERDICT
Picking up old tires and selling it to recycling facilities or retreading centers is 100% LEGIT – it can make money for you. As you earn cash, you also save planet Earth from further destruction by facilitating the sale of the used tires. It’s a great feeling knowing that you did something good for the environment and at the same time, you’re also earning money.
So, if you have a pick-up truck, don’t mind the hauling, can store old tires, or get creative and DIY the old tires for money, then, you can go into the used tires business. It can be a good side business for you.
YOUR TURN
Have you tried selling old tires to recycling facilities or retreading centers? How much did you earn? Are you also making and selling products out of used tires? We need your feedback and comments!