As sustainability takes center stage on a global scale, few innovations have had as dramatic an impact on waste management as the tire shredder. Once seen as a niche tool for industrial recyclers, tire shredders are now playing a critical role in reducing landfill waste and recovering valuable materials.
At Traxion, tire shredding is a key component of our Tire LifeCycle Network—a closed-loop system designed to divert used tires from landfills and reintroduce them into the economy. Here’s how tire shredders are reshaping the future of waste management and why this technology is vital to Traxion’s mission.
What is a Tire Shredder?
A tire shredder is an machine designed to break down whole scrap tires into smaller, more manageable pieces. These machines vary in size and complexity, but their purpose is the same: turn bulky, non-biodegradable waste into raw materials.
Through multiple cutting stages, tire shredders can reduce tires into:
- Chipped tires for fuel
- Rubber mulch for landscaping and playgrounds
- Crumb rubber for roads, athletic turf, or molded rubber products
- Steel and fiber for repurposing or resale
How Tire Shredders Fuel Opportunity
Landfill Diversion
Tire shredders drastically reduce the volume of tire waste, making used tires easier to transport, store, and process. By transforming large scrap tires into more manageable material that can be recycled or reused, shredders are reducing the impact of tire waste upon landfills.
Fueling Renewable Energy
Shredded tires can be diverted into Tire-Derived Fuel (TDF), an innovative, high-energy alternative to coal or wood, but the shredding process is crucial. Tire shredders allow shredded tires to be reduced in size to fit most combustion units, while stripping tires of their interior wiring.
According to the EPA, tires can produce the same amount of energy as oil and 25% more energy than coal, with lower emissions and cleaner burns.
Producing Commercial Products
Crumb rubber from shredders is used in thousands of consumer and industrial products, including (but not limited to):
- Asphalt rubber for roads
- Athletic fields and tracks
- Playground surfaces
- Construction materials
- Molded rubber goods like mats, speed bumps, and tiles
Job Creation & Economic Growth
Tire shredding operations not only contribute to a green economy, but they are creating jobs at a record pace through collection, processing, manufacturing, and more.
In a recent study, the global tire recycling market size is calculated at nearly $6 billion for 2025 and is anticipated to reach nearly $8 billion in less than a decade.
This equates to boundless opportunities for local and regional job opportunities, from local drivers collecting tires to technicians operating the shredding equipment. Of course, these opportunities extend beyond the tire industry, offering emerging sectors – like construction, landscaping, and energy – the opportunity to invest in their workforce, as well.
Revolutionizing Tire Waste Management
While tire shredders are transforming the processing of tire waste, Traxion is putting these critical devices to work each day, transforming the tire industry as a whole.
Interested in joining the Traxion team? Learn more about our employment offerings by visiting our Career Opportunities page.