Tires Could Be Made from Food Waste, Researchers Say

Another case of garbage put to good use

This is not the first time trash is considered a viable alternative to the auto industry's dirtier, petroleum-based activity. There is scientific proof that cars could be fueled by garbage. 

Now there's a new possible use for food waste — eggshells and tomato skin, more specifically. The Ohio State University (OSU) found out the aforementioned food waste can be used as raw materials for tires. Cindy Barrera, an OSU postdoctoral researcher, explains that tomato peels offer high-temperature stability while eggshells bond well to rubber. These two can replace the black carbon, a filler currently used in the tire making industry. 

The black carbon is a harmful composite, a by-product of the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons (petroleum). While the current tires are black, the egg-tomato mix would result in a red-brown product — but the color can be manipulated, researchers say.

Besides the environmentally-friendly attribute, another advantage of these waste-based materials is the availability (and, of course, the price). They can be harvested locally and are very attainable: each year, Americans consume around 13 million tons of tomatoes and 100 billion eggs.   

via Autoblog