Baling rubber guide
According to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, US scrap rubber manufacturers recycle roughly 250 million tires annually. Rubber can be recycled into mulch, floor mats, athletic equipment, and other desirable products, making rubber recycling an important aspect of the recycling industry.
The baling process is essential to rubber recycling, reducing transportation costs and storage space requirements. The rubber baling process follows these steps:
- Rubber products feed into the baler’s hopper.
- Once the bale chamber is full, the baler compresses the rubber to the desired density and weight.
- Operators use bale ties, or auto-tie balers secure the bales with baling wire.
- Finished bales are ejected from the baler machine and sent to recycling centers for processing.
Industrial balers help remove rubber and other recyclables from the waste stream, promoting the circular economy and responsible waste management practices.
How is recycled rubber made?
Recycled rubber and recycled rubber products are made through the following steps:
- Collection: Waste rubber products, especially tires, are collected from various sources.
- Sorting: Collected rubber items are sorted based on type and quality.
- Cleaning: Rubber materials are cleaned to remove dirt and contaminants.
- Size reduction: The rubber is cut or shredded into smaller pieces.
- Separation: Steel, textile fibers, and other non-rubber components are removed using magnets and other separation techniques.
- Grinding: Rubber pieces are ground into smaller particles or "crumb rubber" using one of these methods:
- Ambient temperature grinding: Mechanical shredding at room temperature.
- Cryogenic grinding: Freezing the rubber with liquid nitrogen before crushing it.
- Screening: The ground rubber is screened to homogenize particle size.
- Further processing: Crumb rubber may undergo devulcanization or be mixed with virgin rubber for certain applications.
- Manufacturing: New products are made from recycled rubber.
The recycled rubber can be used in various applications, including road construction, playground surfaces, and new rubber products.
Best baling wire for rubber
We carry several wire options for baling rubber. The best type of wire and wire gauge for rubber bales depends on whether you have a vertical or horizontal balerand whether it is automatic or manual tie. Storage conditions and duration also affect wire choice. Here are some of the best options:
- Single loop bale ties can be tied to different lengths to accommodate inconsistent bale sizes. They work with manual vertical and horizontal balers. We offer both black annealed and galvanized single loop bale ties.
- Double loop bale ties are pre-cut to length and feature a loop (hook) at both ends. The double loop configuration accelerates the tying process, increasing productivity.
- High-tensile galvanized wire can secure expansive, dense bales of synthetic and natural rubbers. Wire with higher tensile strength is often needed to withstand the exceptional expansive pressure of compacted tires.
- Galvanized wire can withstand corrosion that occurs while scrap rubber is being stored for long periods or outdoors. The galvanization process adds a corrosion-resistant zinc layer to the wire.
- Black annealed wire feeds smoothly through high-volume automatic balers that are commonly used in rubber recycling. Annealing improves the wire’s elongation for baling expansive rubber.
What types of rubber are recyclable?
Many types of rubber are recyclable, including:
- Natural rubbers: sourced directly from rubber trees,natural rubber latex, a milky sap, is processed into dry rubber content for use in products such as gloves, balloons, block rubber, compact rubber, and adhesives. Virgin rubber is a raw material for tires, belts, and rubber rollers. Natural rubbers are highly recyclable.
- Synthetic rubbers: engineered for durability and resistance to heat, cold, and weathering, synthetic rubbers such as Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM rubber) become roofing membranes and automotive seals. These types of rubber can be recycled effectively when isolated from other materials.
- Foam rubber: either natural or synthetic, it is a lightweight, cushioning material that poses unique recycling challenges due to its porous nature and potential contaminants. Clean post-industrial scrap, such as off-cuts from mattress production, are recyclable.
Benefits of recycling rubber
Some of the benefits of recycling rubber include:
- Resource conservation, reducing the need for raw rubber
- Preserves space in landfills, decreasing the environmental impact
- Lower energy requirement than producing new rubber
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
- Uses less water than new rubber production
- Ongoing job reaction within the recycling industry
- Using recycled rubber in products can improve their strength and durability
- Reduced need for rubber plantations, preserving biodiversity
Environmental sustainability depends on recycling rubber and other materials. Active participation in rubber recycling programs and support for businesses that use recycled rubber help minimize the environmental impact of rubber production and waste.
Baling wire products we offer
Baling Wire Direct sells the following high-quality baling wire products.