From R. E. DURRANT
Your issue of 29 August mentioned a new process whereby used tyres are
to be pyrolised to produce oil and other materials (Technology).
Very worthy, no doubt, but a used tyre would seem to me to be a useful
object in itself. A tyre is resistant to degradation and the shape is similar
to a Rosehig ring – a random pile of tyres would contain a large volume
of voids. Water trickling through such a pile would efficiently contact
air in the voids.
Oxidation ponds at sewage works could be replaced by trickle towers
filled with old tyres. The inner rim of the tyres would retain sufficient
active sludge to metabolise any organic matter in the water passing through,
which would then go to settling ponds. The land area required for a rubber
sewage works would be much less than for the conventional works and capital
costs much lower.
R. E. Durrant Watford, Hertfordshire
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