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Tire recycling is the process of recycling vehicles tires (or tyres) that are no longer suitable for use on vehicles due to wear or irreparable damage (such as punctures). These tires are among the largest and most problematic sources of waste, due to the large volume produced and their durability. Those same characteristics which make waste tires such a problem also make them one of the most re-used waste materials, as the rubber is very resilient and can be reused in other products. Approximately one tire is discarded per person per year. Tires are also often recycled for use on basketball courts and new shoe products. However material recovered from waste tires, known as "crumb" is generally only a cheap "filler" material and is rarely used in high volumes.
It is arguable that tire crumb in applications such as basketball courts could be better described as "reused" rubber rather than "recycled".