Baled tyres are essentially bundles of discarded tyres that have been compressed together into a dense, manageable block.
Understanding Tyre Bales
According to the provided reference, a tyre bale is exactly what it says – it's a bale of roughly 100 tyres that are compressed into a uniform shape. This process takes individual waste tyres, which are bulky and challenging to store or transport, and transforms them into a compact, stable block.
This transformation makes them much easier to handle and significantly increases their density compared to loose tyres. The compression helps minimize void spaces, creating a robust material block.
Key Characteristics
- Composition: Typically made from whole, used vehicle tyres.
- Quantity: Usually contains around 100 tyres per bale.
- Form: Compressed into a uniform, rectangular shape.
- Density: Much denser and more stable than loose tyres.
- Handling: Easier to stack, store, and transport.
Applications and Uses
These compressed tyre bales have a broad number of purposes and are utilized in various industries. As the reference states, they "find themselves used everywhere from the construction industry, to the nautical industry, and can even be used to combat land erosion."
Some common applications include:
- Construction: Used as fill material in civil engineering projects like road embankments, bridge abutments, and retaining walls. Their lightweight yet stable nature can be advantageous.
- Erosion Control: Deployed to help stabilize slopes, riverbanks, and coastlines, combating land erosion.
- Nautical Industry: Can potentially be used in breakwaters or other marine structures, although specific applications vary.
- Drainage: Sometimes incorporated into drainage systems due to their permeability.
- Ballast: Their weight and stability make them suitable for use as ballast in certain applications.
This process of baling is an important part of waste tyre management, diverting millions of tyres from landfills each year and providing valuable secondary raw material for engineering and environmental projects.
