Used tyres have traditionally been dumped into the ground in landfill sites and left for future generations to worry about. However, in 2003 and 2006, new legislation ruled that whole and shredded tyres were banned from landfill. These new rules came into force as part of the European Union's Landfill Directive, which will see a ban on dumping used tyres across the whole of the union.

Modern tyre shredding machines shred bulky, hazardous items to a format that can be re-sold, recycled and disposed of in an environmentally sound fashion.

Responsible disposal of used tyres is an increasingly expensive business, involving sorting, storage, collection and disposal costs. However, used tyres also represent a valuable resource. They can be processed into rubber shred and crumb for a variety of uses, including equestrian, sports and safety surfaces as well as carpet underlay.