Retreading is the process to replace the tread on worn tires. This process is so important to our environment. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, approximately 280 million tires are discarded each year, with about 30 million of these tires making their way to retread facilities. 

Once received, the worn tires that meet specific standards undergo the retreading process and are then reintroduced to the market. In some cases, the tires are shredded or ground into material suitable for recycling into various other projects. B&J Rocket, a respected retread supplier and valued partner elaborates: “buffing blades are used to buff off the old tread of a tire and to give the casing a texture for the new tread to adhere. The rubber particles buffed off during this process can be repurposed into playground surface, rubber mats, and much more. Reatreading is truly recycling!”

Not only are retread tires saving the volume in our landfills and creating valuable recycled materials, but they are a more environmentally-friendly consideration to brand-new tires, as the retread process consumes less oil, uses less raw materials and emits less pollution than new tire production. Retreads are often more economical as well. 

While we can all (hopefully) agree that retreading makes a positive contribution to the environment, there is a misconception that retreads are not as safe as virgin tires. According to Tiffany Frady, a Rubber-Inc. Sales Representative who specializes in retreads, she often hears a common myth that most road gators (the rubber pieces you may see on the road) are retreads. This is false. A study conducted in Virginia in 2009, which was published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and featured on retread.org, revealed “that the quality of materials and methods of producing retreaded tires are not major factors in the problem of tire debris along the highways”, and the NHTSA also released a report in January 2009 that confirmed that most rubber on the road is a result of poor tire maintenance, not retreaded tires. Tiffany’s advice: ‘Save the planet, save your money, use retreads!’

Are you still under the misconception that safety is an issue? Did you know that many of our emergency vehicles, school buses, and government trucks use retreads? In fact, the U.S. Government issued Executive Order 13149 that states in Section 403 that government agencies must use retread tires on their motor vehicles when these products are available.

Aircraft also rely on retread tires as they outperform and have proven safer than new tires as referenced by Wilkerson, the leading tire supplier for the regional airline market. This statement is based on all independent evaluations which indicate that retreads outwear new tires by 15-400%, and research conducted by the University of Michigan that found worn tires burst at a higher psi than a new tire, as well as individual inspection increase the reliability of the properly retread tires. 

If retreads weren’t safe, they wouldn’t be trusted on vehicles and aircraft that are used to protect and serve the needs of our communities.   

We are proud to partner with many quality retread facilities around the U.S. to provide the tools and materials they need to be at the top of their game.