RUBBER SALVAGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21633, 9 February 1945, Page 4

RUBBER SALVAGE

CUTTING MACHINE ENGAGED In GISBORNE At present engaged in Gisborne by arrangement with-the National Council .for the Reclamation of Waste Material is a de-be'ader machine used for cutting up old motor-tyres. The machine, Which is owned by a Christchurch firm, has been operating throughout the North and South Islands and will be in Gisborne for about a fortnight. It is simply operated, consisting merely of an electrically-driven revolving circular blade which can cut the largest tyres with ease. The bead of the tyre which, owing to a certain amount* of wire composition, cannot be used for reclamation purposes, is first removed and then the walls and tread. The strips are tied in bundles by means of a hand-operated wiring machine and in this Way the rubber from eight car tyres or four truck tyres can be packed in one bundle.

* “It is estimated that the machine allows some 75 per cent to be saved on freight charges,” said the chairman of the Gisborne Waste Products Committee, Mr. E. H. Marriner, yesterday. Mr. Marriner said that locally 50 tons of waste rubber had been collected to date and of .this quantity 25 tons were to be cut up by the machine and later shipped to Christchurch. Garage proprietors, school children and all interested in seeing how the tyres were being handled, he added, were invited to visit the waste paper depot in Lowe street.

Mr. Marriner recalled that at a meeting of the committee last month it had been decided to enlist the aid of school-children in a campaign to salvage available used tyres throughout the district. Prizes were to be offered as an incentive and would take the form of gift parcels to old boys of the respective schools now serving overseas.