Greenbees: Our Story

Tire Facts

• It is estimated that 1.3 billion tires are sold every year and more than two thirds of those tires replace old worn out ones.*
• Tires can burn for months, creating a constant flow of black acrid plumes of smoke, releasing pollutants such as arsenic, mercury, cadmium, lead, beryllium, chromium and other toxic and carcinogenic substances into the air reaching for miles at a stretch.*
• Water collected in discarded tires serve as a perfect breeding ground for mosquitos and other disease spreading insect population.*
• When placed in local landfills, used tires are prime perpetrators for tearing and damaging the linins meant to protect the ground and surface water, causing other harmful substances to leach into our soil and waters.*
• It takes half a barrel of crude oil to produce the rubber in just one tire. **
• Everyday, Americans spend $250,000 getting rid of old tires. **
• An estimated 2-3 billion tires are currently stockpiled in the US. **

Sources:
(*) zerowasteamerica.org/landfills.htm
(**) eco-action.net/pollution.html