Lett welcomes the recent developments in tyre recycling brought about by car and tyre manufacturers as well as recycling and environmental organisations.

“This could at last vastly reduce the problem, or even put an end to the huge number of tyres which are left on the side of the road, or find their way into landfills, where their bulk, resilience, and fire risk provide a safety threat, the toxins they leach into the soil, and there’s unnecessary waste of reusable and valuable materials,” Lett says.

The Many Varied Ways of Recycling Tyres

He says that as concern rose about the size of the problem, and the environmental hazards inherent in tyre waste disposal, various solutions have been suggested. They have ranged from gardening and home ideas to attempts to get rid of old tyres by burning them, as well as ongoing investigations into how the materials used in their manufacture could be changed, or recovered for re-use, and the resultant development of increasingly powerful chipping and shredding machines.

The creative homeowners and crafters who came up with designs for tyre re-usage, set a trend for a while by restructuring them as garden pots, swings, bases for patio tables and ottomans. However, these made only a tiny dent in the number of dumped tyres, according to Lett. Attempts to burn them were also unsuccessful because of the months it could take to put out the fires, and tyres’ tendency to smoulder for years.

The Two ways to Dispose of Used Tyres

Lett, who has been recycling tyres for the past 15 years at Branigans Tyres in Burleigh Heads, Queensland, has been doing it in his own way. Where possible he recovers nearly new tyres carrying well-known brands, and tests and grades them according to the amount of road life they still have ahead.

“When it comes to recycling tyres, there are really only two ways to go. The first is to send the used tyres to recycling companies where they are chipped and broken down, or shredded, for use as fillers in construction, railway and road development, where they improve the grip and lower the sound or as mulch.

“The second is sorting, testing and grading tyres to determine how much life is left in them and seeing how this can be utilised. Those which meet the standards required in Australia, can return to the road, but the only way to extend their life if they don’t meet those requirements, is to ship them to third world countries where they would meet the standards, and at the same time help those who cannot afford the cost of new tyres to return to the road with more safety,” he says.

For further information, visit or call Chris and his team at Second Hand Tyres Gold Coast |Branigans Budget Tyres by contacting the Service Centres in Burleigh Heads (07) 5535 2660 or Southport (07) 5591 8633.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.

Lett says drivers , while keeping the cost of the tyres (and fitting them) as well as the size of their budget in mind, should also find out as much as they can about the structure, operation and performance of the tyres on offer before making a choice, in order to ensure they are making the right one.

Not all Tyres are Created Equal

According to Lett, tyres vary and will have differing effects on fuel consumption; the level of road noise they make; how they perform in various weather and road conditions; what kind of load they are able to carry, and how safe they are on the road.

“Taking a look at how these factors can influence the cost of running the car, as well as the safety, lifespan and performance of the tyres, can ultimately lead to the right choice being an investment, rather than just an expenditure,” Lett says.

Checklist For Choosing Tyres

Fuel Efficiency: Lessening Fuel Consumption and Upping Eco-Friendliness can be a double winner for both wallet and soul. Choosing this approach can save running costs by reducing the fuel costs by anything from 3 to 10%, while at the same time contributing to saving the environment by reducing the vehicle’s emissions.

Finding out exactly how fuel-efficient tyres are, can be done by checking where they rank on the fuel efficiency level ratings listed from A to G. A is at the top of the class, and G is classified as being the least fuel efficient. The level of efficiency is determined by the tyres’ rolling resistance, or how much energy (and therefore fuel) is lost in the process of getting those tyres to roll smoothly and easily, and to keep them doing so consistently. The higher the resistance is, the more fuel is used, and the lower the tyre’s fuel efficiency will be, while low rolling resistance requires less fuel, and therefore leads to a higher rank in terms of fuel efficiency.

Wet Grip: For safety reasons, Lett recommends that drivers check another set of A-G ratings. This time the list reveals how well the tyres cope with dispersing water on wet roads which can negatively affect braking distance, and increase the risk of accidents in poor weather conditions, Lett says.

Keeping Quiet: Some tyres purr, while others seem to make a good deal of noise. Lett says those wanting to enjoy a quiet drive and avoid the stress created by loud road noise, should check the number of decibels particular tyres produce.

Brand Names are Important

Lett says brand names do play a major role in finding the right tyres for a vehicle as these have been carefully designed and produced to match the individual needs of both drivers and the vehicles they drive, and this is even more important when considering purchasing recycled tyres.

At Branigans, available tyres sport names like Avon, Michelin, Continental, Bridgestone, Firestone, Dunlop, and Goodyear, and have hardly been used. All are carefully checked for their functional life-span, and are graded for age and tread before being sold for a fraction of what the same tyres would cost new.

For further information and assistance in choosing the right replacement tyres, visit or call Chris and his team for Second Hand Tyres Gold Coast |Branigans Budget Tyres Service Centre at Burleigh Heads (07) 5535 2660 or Southport (07) 5591 8633.

Syndicated by Baxton Media, The Market Influencers, Your Digital Marketing Agency.