Re: [GreenYes] Fw: QUERY: What to do with used tires? [Q from Brazil]

[muna@iafrica.com]

On 26 Feb 2002 at 14:36, Doug Koplow wrote:

> Hi Marcelo,
> 
> Your inquiry regarding tires was posted to the Green Yes Listserve, of
> which I am a member.  I looked at waste tires in relation to work I
> did for the US EPA on hazardous waste combustion in cement kilns some
> years ago.  Based on this work, I concluded that disposal of whole
> waste tires (which are not considered hazardous waste) in cement kilns
> is actually a very good solution.  
> 
> The extremely high temperatures in the kiln, combined with long
> retention times in the burner, lead to very clean combustion, and
> nearly every region of the world has them.  Combustion in kilns does
> not generate the black smoke that one sees when tires are burned in
> open pits.  The metals found in the waste tires (either through steel
> belts or through additives to improve braking, wear, etc.) are mostly
> entrained in the cement clinker, and generally not released to the
> air.  
> 
Sorry to say, that I do not agree with Doug - we have found that waste incineration 
has no positive spinoffs at all, and simply transfers the problem from solid waste to 
mainly air pollution, the creation of highly toxic bottom ash, and the actual loss of the 
resource and energy used in its manufacture - a simple energy balance will show that 
"energy from waste" is simply another way of avoiding the issue in the first place - 
that of re-use or avoidance...

the chemicals that are liberated in burning, as well as the heavy metals, etc. cause a 
much more serious problem than the one Marcello is trying to solve - we are very 
sensitive here regarding eco-justice, and can say very clearly that the burning of ANY 
waste is no solution, especially not for the people in our country... or indeed, 
anywhere else...

regards
Muna

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