Each year - and this is in Britain alone - we apparently throw away approximately 500'000 tonnes of tyres; as such, and due in part to their incredible durability, the disposal of disused tyres is seen as one of the largest waste problems in the world. Below are ten examples of tyre recycling that really capture the imagination, and serve to remind us that the trusty tyre is actually an incredibly versatile object that can, with a little imagination, be transformed into a wide range of different products.

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Above: From the British studios of Verna Ventham Design, here we have a series of interlocked tyres to be used as casual seating in the home. Each tyre is leather-bound, its interior covered in felt. Stunning.

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Above: Millegomme are an 'international collective of tyre crafters', and this is one of their most ambitious projects. Built in 2005 for a client, this incredible 'garden house' is coated in tyres; all of which have been sourced from local garages.

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Above: The designers at Seal in Japan are renowned for transforming old tyre products into fashionable, durable consumer goods, and here is just one example: Sneaker 101 - a pair of trainers fashioned from the disused inner-tubes of tyres. Extremely water resistant and desirable.

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Above: A perfect gift for the environmentally conscious, and just one of many tyre inner-tube handbags crafted by English Retreads, a Colorado-based company founded by Heather English which is dedicated to selling just that: attractive handbags made from re-purposed inner-tubes.

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Above: Found in Kenya, an old truck tyre; cut, uncurled and sealed in order to fashion a low tech but perfectly functional livestock trough from which animals are able to drink.

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Above: As with the aforementioned tyre trough, the bucket seen above has one function: to hold water. So what better material to use than an old rubber tyre?

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Above: It may not look that way, but Tirex carpet tiles are made from recycled vehicle tyres. Perfect flooring material for offices in particular, these eco-friendly, highly durable underfoot tiles are more than worth investigating should you be thinking of relaying your flooring.

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Above: A pair of woman's shorts, made predominantly from tyres by - unsurprisingly given the logo - Michelin. Apparently designed by Michelin staff as "a bit of fun", the shorts were showcased last year as part of a larger collection of tyre fashion. Said Michelin's Peter Snelling at the time: "We hope to see our tyres making tracks on the high street very soon".

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Above: A surprisingly passable belt, crafted from an old bicycle tyre. It was designed by Lisa McCartney of Creative Problem Solvers, an innovative company based in Leicester who "use old bicycle parts to produce stylish, functional individual products to be worn or used around the home".

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Above: A fantastic rug designed by renowned manufacturers nanimarquina, based in Spain. These wonderful Bicicleta Rugs are made entirely from recycled goods, including between 120 and 140 bicycle inner-tubes, all collected and processed in India.