Microwave Renewable Technologies (MRT), a wholly owned subsidiary of Lubrication Specialties, Inc., has introduced a practical and self-sustaining solution for recycling tires. The MRT TireHog is a 100% mobile machine that uses microwaves to recycle up to 1,200 tires per day. With the TireHog, microwaves break down tires in a continuous process along a conveyor belt, ultimately allowing for rapid reclamation of high-quality, economically valuable end products, including carbon black, oil, and natural gas.
"Our initial testing indicates one TireHog machine can produce 2.8 million pounds of carbon, 1.5 million pounds of oil, and 1.3 million pounds of gas per year," says Chris Gabrelcik, president and CEO of Lubrication Specialties. "These estimates translate to a yearly value of $1.8 million in carbon black, $258,470 in crude oil, and $102,495 in natural gas."
Byproducts created by the TireHog can be used for diesel fuel, asphalt, and other applications, and can even be used to power the TireHog itself, making it fully sustainable.