It is undeniable that Morocco is a well-known destination for unwanted European tires. And the country is deploying an environmental strategy for the revaluation of its used tires. The tire never dies because even after years of travel, it is recycled in other uses such as crafts for the manufacture of supply buckets used in traditional hammams, babouche or by carters. When they are too damaged, reused tires end their third lives in the ovens of potters and brickmakers who use it as fuel to make clay products such as tagines. It is also used as an energy source like other household waste promoting energy recovery
Moroccan customs are taking control of this situation and last year seized a heavy goods vehicle carrying over 2,500 used tyres at the border. It is essential that European tyre waste management systems and companies involved in the export of large volumes of waste are held accountable for the ethical export of these tyres to legal destinations.
Used tires can be melted down to make hot melt asphalt for road surfacing; otherwise, they are sent to landfills where they take up a lot of space that should be used for other waste.
In Marrakech, craftsmen promote recycling by proposing a new solution to the problem of the number of excess tires in the city. Old tires from bicycles, mopeds and cars are transformed into raw materials to make useful and decorative objects for ornament or for your home or even more impressive textile products such as Berber slippers soles in Taroudant!
Nestled in the Souk of the old medina, you will find several shops selling a selection of plant pots, cisterns, mirrors, slippers and even toilet seats made from used tires! Continue your walk during your stay in Marrakech towards the alleys of the Jewish market, and on your right, you will find a small opening to a larger workshop. In the workshop, you can find projects "in progress" and order custom-made items made from used tires. A modern and eco-friendly way to furnish your home, there are also surprisingly comfortable tire poufs and Moroccan craftsmen are constantly innovating to give a second life to tires.
