Back in 2014, a German documentary on used tires aired and Kuwait was featured prominently in it due to having the world’s largest used tires mountain. Recently the documentary made its way to YouTube and in English with no region lock and I just watched it now. Although a few years old I think the documentary is still worth watching although some things have changed since then.
Since the documentary aired I believe at least two tire recycling facilities have been set up including Green Rubber Recycling whom I posted about last year.
When I visited the tires graveyard back in 2012, the tires were all piled together in one large pile (pictured above). Due to safety issues and the continuous number of fires that take place there, the tires are now compartmentalized into smaller piles so that if a fire breaks out it’s contained in one area. Fires happen so frequently that it even shows on Google Maps.
While watching the documentary above just be aware that the info is not up to date. YouTube
Thanks Syed
15 replies on “The World’s Largest Tire Mountain”
Any idea why they catch on fire so often. In the arabic papers they quote officials as saying it was arson (there were 2 different fires during Ramadan alone). I somehow doubt that arson is the cause, just because I can’t see any motivating factor.
Why would you doubt arson? Tires don’t just catch on fire by themselves.
But they could: https://www.hse.gov.uk/rubber/spontaneous.htm
And in one of the hottest and driest climates in the world, it’s probably more prone to self ignite.
No they can’t or else cars around the world would be randomly burning into ashes. Read the article you linked to 🤦🏼♂️
The link states as follows:
“Factors increasing risk
The risk of ignition in practical circumstances may be raised by contamination of the tyres (which may allow biological heating in damp conditions) or by the rusting of exposed wires (which also generates heat). The stripping of rubber from wire in the tyre chopping process may be associated with blunting of blades in the shredding machine.”
The above, and the article as a whole (entitled “Spontaneous heating of piled tyre shred and rubber crumb – Briefing note”) is in reference to fire risk of “waste tires”, and NOT tires attached to motor vehicles.
I can read but can you? We’re talking about used motor vehicle tires that are piled up in the desert and not tire shred or tire rubber crumbs which is what the link is talking about. Two different things.
And so, if you combine this article with what the documentary shows (“What happens to used tires?”), you will note that documentary films the practice of tire cutting and chopping and the creation of rubber crumbs at the waste tire site here in Kuwait. Let us not forget that this documentary was made some years ago, and we do not therefore know what other activities are taking place at the waste site now that may contribute to, or cause, the fires.
You’re not making any sense but let me give you a rundown of events here.
– The tires are being set on fire, arson. This is what professional firefighters who investigated the fires stated.
– A random anonymous internet user who wasn’t part of the investigation and never even been to the tire graveyard posted a conspiracy theory that he doesn’t believe it’s arson.
– I stated that tires don’t just catch fire by themselves, source: the millions of vehicles on the roads around the world with 4 tires on each.
– Anonymous internet user shares a random link about how tires that are shredded and turned into rubber crumb can potentially catch fire.
– I stated that used car tires are catching fire not the rubber after the shredding process and that tires don’t just catch fire out of nowhere. source: the millions of vehicles on the roads around the world with 4 tires on each.
– Another random anonymous internet user comes to defend the other anonymous person and shared a paragraph in which it clearly doesn’t state that tires can randomly catch tires.
– I question the anonymous persons ability to read
– Anonymous person clearly has no clue what he’s talking about and starts churning out random words
“Anonymous internet user”? “Random anonymous internet user? Conspiracy theory? Lol – what are you talking about??
And its not really fair that you refer to your readers and those that take the time and effort to post on your website in such terms.
There is a pattern in your posts Mark of you being dismissive of other peoples views and comments, particularly if it doesn’t fit in with yours, or where you simply fail to understand.
And you take things so personally? And make it so personal?
Anyway, clearly a waste of time….so see ya!
The fact that investigators deemed the fire as arson yet you’re here trying to convince us otherwise by linking to irrelevant material is dumbfounding. And then when I call you out on it you get upset and tell me I”m taking things personally 🤦 Please…
He has clearly laid it out for you in the previous comment to understand, He disagreed with you and provided a detailed timeline of why and what…
Wish people like you could buy some logic in the baqala, it would make the world a better place.
Look up EPSCO Tire recycling factory (@epsco.kwt on insta).
The tire graveyard is being relocated to Salmi and EPSCO is currently the largest tire recycler in Kuwait. They also partnered with ProSports if anyone buys gym mats from them they’d be supporting the cause
Well that escalated quickly…
Ask about who owns it and how. It’s actually a funny and also a sad story. (It happened in the late 80’s)
Finally Kuwait has something “World’s Biggest” to their credit !