New Scientist, March 12, 1994 v141 n1916 p19(1) 
                Old tyres don't die, they just dissolve away. Rick Gould. 
            Abstract: Japanese researchers found a method of decomposing tires 
            into recyclable components using a combination of super critical 
            water and sodium hydroxide. The tires are cut into pieces, heated to 
            400 degrees Celsius and decomposed after 15 minutes into an oily 
            mixture of long chain hydrocarbons, which is separated from steel 
            and textile in the tire and then recovered for recycling. Another 
            process also separates and recovers sulfur added to tires during 
            vulcanization. 
             
             Article A15340103