Revised On: March. 17, 2024 - 8:00 p.m.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the hazards from solid wastes, such as waste tires.
• Understand why automotive glass is difficult to recycle.

Other Solid Wastes

We briefly touched on solid waste in a previous page, but let’s expand on this a bit more. General solid waste in collision repair refers to the various non-hazardous solid materials and debris generated while repairing vehicles after collisions or accidents. These materials are not considered immediately dangerous or harmful to human health or the environment. Still, they do need to be appropriately managed to ensure cleanliness and safety within the repair shop and surrounding areas. Many of the processes we reviewed generate some solid waste. The potential environmental risks associated with solid waste from collision repair include:

• Landfill Accumulation - If not adequately managed, accumulating non-hazardous solid waste in landfills can contribute to the overall waste volume and use up valuable landfill space. This can lead to the need for more landfills, which can impact local ecosystems, wildlife habitats, and communities.
• Soil and Water Contamination - Some components found in solid waste from collision repair, such as metals and plastic materials, can leach chemicals into the soil and water if disposed of improperly. While the contamination risk is generally lower than hazardous waste, it can still have localized environmental effects.
• Air Quality - The generation of dust and particulate matter from sanding, grinding, and other repair processes can affect air quality within the workshop and its surroundings. While not typically hazardous, these particles can contribute to poor indoor air quality if not properly managed.
• Resource Depletion - Disposing of materials like plastics and metals in landfills means that resources must be effectively recycled or repurposed. This contributes to the depletion of natural resources and the need for new resource extraction, which can have environmental impacts.
• Aesthetics -  Improperly managed solid waste, such as discarded car parts and packaging materials, can contribute to visual pollution and negatively impact the aesthetics of the local environment.

Waste tires and glass are additional examples of solid waste that may be present at your facility.

Waste Tires

Used tires are a commodity in the automotive industry. There are many uses for tires after use, such as direct reuse when still fit for the road or retreading if the tire is in good enough condition. In some cases, your business can even profit from used tires. Look into other local businesses that may want used tires to avoid them becoming waste. Waste tires are a significant contributor to the environmental hazards of solid waste. Waste tires, commonly called scrap tires or end-of-life tires, are a significant environmental concern, necessitating proper management. Improper disposal can have detrimental impacts, like releasing toxic chemicals and greenhouse gasses.  Waste tires must be disposed of at a waste tire collection site or follow specific disposal methods according to A.R.S. § 44-1304. Waste tire collection sites are registered with ADEQ and follow storage, disposal, and safety regulations. Do not dump your tires in alleys, dumpsters, or other illegal areas. 

Improperly disposed or stored tires contribute to significant environmental concerns such as fire hazards, pests, soil contamination, and landfill space consumption. Tire fires are difficult to extinguish once started due to being hard to cool and having ample fuel supply, especially when in a large pile. When tires burn, they release toxic substances and pollutants into the air, such as benzene, sulfur dioxide, heavy metals, and particulate matter. These all decrease air quality and adversely affect nearby communities. Runoff oil resulting from tire fires contaminates the soil. This can potentially infiltrate groundwater and water supplies that impact surrounding ecosystems. Tires just sitting outside can trap water and become breeding grounds for mosquitos or alter habitats while slowly leaching harmful pollutants into the soil.

To mitigate the impact of waste tires, there are some recycling and reuse efforts. Reuse of tires is done through using them as barriers or bumpers. Waste tires can also be recycled to reclaim valuable materials, such as rubber, steel, and fiber, for reuse in various products, including new tires, road surfaces, and construction materials. This recycled material is used in playground surfaces, athletic tracks, road surfaces, construction materials,  and noise barriers. A waste tire can still have some life left to live through recycling!

Recycle tires at your shop by setting up a location where tires can be collected.  This area would ideally be protected from the weather and away from any potential ignition source, including smoking. Once a location has been established, you can start collecting your tires there. Then, find a local service with your manager where your tires can be picked up or haul your tires to your local tire recycling facility. It’s always a good pollution prevention opportunity to see if another business can use waste from your site. Some of these opportunities even involve being paid for your facility waste.

Waste Glass 

Glass is a material that can be recycled endlessly without any degradation, and it is cheaper to make new glass from recycled glass than raw materials. The hard part about recycling glass is that it is often contaminated. Glass recycling is first collected by a company or individual who inspects it, makes sure it’s clean, and then distributes it to a recycling facility. At the recycling facility, it is then separated and broken down into a glass cullet, which can then be distributed to manufacturers who melt, form, and reuse the glass. The properties of automotive glass that prevent the glass from shattering into shards are the same ones that make this glass difficult or unable to be recycled. Before recycling automotive glass, you must check what is accepted at nearby glass recycling facilities. 

You can still recycle other glass at your shop even if you do not have options for automotive glass. Start with a designated space for your recycled glass. The container for your recycled glass should be kept where the probability of its contamination is significantly reduced. In addition, the glass is separated from any other materials you may use during your work. If the glass is mixed with anything, then it may be unusable. 

P2 Opportunities

• Manage waste and used tires differently. Used tires can still be reused in some capacity as is or with minimal processing. This can present an opportunity for another business or customer to lengthen the tire's useful life. Waste tires can no longer be used for their intended purpose but may be repurposed or processed for other uses.
• Promote best tire management practices with your customers. Educate your customers about smart car maintenance practices like inflating tires, balancing wheels, receiving tire alignments, and performing a routine rotation. 
• Store waste tires to prevent hazards. Store tires away from potential fire hazards and in an orientation or area to avoid water accumulation.

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