Analysis of the generation, disposition and environmental effects of used tires of passenger vehicles in two localities of Barranquilla.

Introduction: There is a problem in the city of Barranquilla regarding the ignorance of the generation of used tires and their treatment at the end of their life cycle. This difficulty also occurs in Colombia, even globally. It is known that tire sales have a directly proportional relationship with the increase in the car fleet. Barranquilla shows a vehicle increase of 6% in 2015, 5% in 2016 and 4% in 2017. To date, the number of registered vehicles continues growing. As of December of 2018, the date on which this project is being carried on; there is no official system regulating the generation and proper disposal of used tires. While there are laws that oversee this issue, and preliminary projects that formulate systems for the proper collection and disposal of waste tires [1], most of them made in the capital city of Bogotá, are not duly reinforced by environmental authorities. Being the ignorance of generation is one of the main problems, a survey was applied to a sample of establishments that handle used tires in Barranquilla, where the existence of the problem was diagnosed and validated, and the number of used tires generated was estimated. Additionally, a forecast was made to analyze the behavior in later years. Following this, the most appropriate final disposal strategy for the treatment of this special solid waste was identified. Objective: analyze the current status of the generation, disposition and environmental effects of used tires in the city, focusing on the Riomar and Northern Historic Centre, as the field data on which the analysis is based on was collected there, due most concentration of establishments. This paper provides a starting point for an estimate of the used tires generated and forecasts the size of the environmental impact generated. Further, explores existing alternatives and processes for handling the disposed of used tires enabling the use of the materials and compounds within its structure for efficient uses of this resource while diminishing its impact on the environment. Method: Initially, 91 surveys were applied to establishments that handle used tires selected by sample size. The result of the study, whose consistency was verified through a Cronbach's Alpha analysis, shows in numbers the generation of weekly used tires at these active points. Then, the current factors that influence the generation of used tires are identified and expanded with a forecast for the generation of used tires in the next 5 years, covering the range of years from 2019 to 2023. Following the forecast, it will be in the foreground the existing methods for handling discarded tires, selecting the most appropriate by means of AHP method to contribute to the reduction of the environmental impact generated by improper disposal. Results: The results show that the problem of used tires is indisputable since most of these are eliminated in landfills. On the other hand, it's evident that there is a strong correlation between economic growth and registered vehicles. In the same way, the influence of the factors shows that there is a growing positive relationship between the registered vehicles and the number of used tires generated in the year. To give solution to the generation of used tires, it is found that the best final disposal strategy is the mechanical crushing of tires since, in addition to mitigating the environmental impact of the waste treatment, it also eliminates the possibility of contributing with pollutants. Conclusion: According to the results of the surveys and the forecasts made, it's evident that in 2023 the number of vehicles in Barranquilla will reach near that 231.918, which means an exponential growth in the generation of used tires; therefore, the importance of controlling the disposal of used tires is highlighted. Through the AHP methodology, it's established that the best practice to reduce or eliminate used tires is mechanical crushing due to its zero-carbon dioxide emission factor, and its products can be applied for rubber road asphalt and rubber coating for public playgrounds, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]