Mostafa Vahdatbin, Pouria Hajikarimi, Suliman Rashid, Elham H Fini
Approximately 1.5 billion end-of-life tires accumulate globally each year, presenting major environmental and human health challenges. Although recycling pathways such as devulcanization, pyrolysis, and mechanical grinding are promoted to conserve resources, their real-world sustainability is limited by technical, economic, and environmental constraints. These recycling processes can release hazardous pollutants, including volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, microplastics, and 6PPD-quinone, posing long-term ecological and toxicological risks. Integrating technical, regulatory, and toxicological perspectives, this review evaluates the risks and benefits of current tire management strategies. It uncovers overlooked downstream impacts and calls for advanced recycling technologies, high-fidelity monitoring systems, and strengthened regulations to enhance the overall sustainability of tire recycling practices.