In the United States, an estimated 240 million used tires are discarded annually. These used scrap tires fall into 2 categories, automobile and truck.

Scrap truck tires which are collected for recycling are primarily retreaded. The freshly retreaded tires are reused on trucks and buses. Automobile tires can be remolded or recycled into safety flooring, commercial fishing equipment, dock and boat bumpers, truck bed mats, mud flaps, farm equipment, garbage and recycling containers, recycled-rubber soled shoes and tire swings. They can also be used in the construction of artificial reefs and as river bank stabilizers as well as in road resurfacing.

Union County residents can bring their used automobile tires to each Household Hazardous Waste day and Computer and Electronics Collection day. There is a limit of eight (8) tires per household, without rims please.