Julie L. Rhodes, Product Stewardship Institute contractor
Sacramento, California - July 28, 2004

Issues & Strategies for Tire Stewardship Dialog

 Phone interviews with 20+ stakeholders
 Tire manufacturers


Recyclers
Haulers


End use manufacturers
TDF/Cement kilns
 Government


Trade associations
Transportation officials
 Other technical resources
 Developed set of questions
 Conducted interviews in March and April 2004
3 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 Published reports
 Extending the Lifespan of Tires
 Increasing the Recycled Content in Tires
 CIWMB Five-Year Plan
 Others
 Websites
 Follow-up discussions to clarify issues
 Stakeholder comments on initial draft
 Action plan is intended to be a brief education piece on each topic to provide stakeholders with a foundation of the variety of concerns and support for tire related issues
4 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 Solicited comments on initial draft of action plan from all primary stakeholders.
 Received and incorporated comments - balanced competing comments
 Surveyed stakeholder to seek agreement/disagreement on issues and strategies
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 5

July 28, 2004









Based on 15 surveys received from:
 Manufactures/RMA - 6
Retailers/TIA - 2
Government Agencies - 3
Haulers/Processors/Recyclers - 2
Other - 2
Two surveys were not properly completed and could not be used
Respondents ranked issues for the dialog: “1” highest priority to “12” lowest priority
Respondents ranked strategies: 2 - strongly agree; 1
- agree; 0 - neutral; -1 disagree; -2 strongly disagree.
Respondents could also add strategies and comments
Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 6

 Based on 13 surveys
 Top Tier



#1 - Waste Tire Markets (Issue 2)
#2 - Tire-derived Fuel (Issue 10)
#3 - Recycled Asphalt Concrete (Issue 7)
 Second Tier
 #4 - Shredded Tire Markets (Issue8)
 #5 - Crumb Rubber Markets (Issue 5)
 #6 - Collection and Transportation (Issue 4)
 #7 - Waste Tire Generation (Issue 1)
 #8 -Tire Reuse, Retread, Remold (Issue 3)
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 7

 Third Tier
 #9 - Recreation Markets (Issue 9)
 #10 - Sustainable Financing (Issue 12)
 #11 - Landfill Disposal (Issue 11)
 #12 - Recycled Content in New Tires (Issue 6)
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 8

Issue
1. Waste tire generation
2. Waste tire markets
3. Tire reuse
4. Collection and transportation
5. Crumb rubber markets
6. Recycled content in new tires
7. Rubberized asphalt concrete
8. Shredded tire markets
9. Recreation markets
10. Tire-derived fuel
11. Landfill disposal
12. Sustainable financing
Number of Responses
Overall
Rank
Government Manufacturers and RMA
Retailers and TIA
Recyclers Other
5
12
3
8
6
7
1
2
11
4
9
10
13
3
7
2
4
6
1
2
5
7
5
6
8
3
9
6
10
5
1
3
2
11
4
7
8
12
2
5
12
3
10
1
11
7
2
9
4
6
8
6
7
9
6
2
5
10
1
3
8
4
11
12
1
4
8
5
10
1
3
11
7
12
6
9
2
1
9 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA





California generates 33.5 million tires annually
California interested in reducing the number of tires generated before recycling, stockpiling or disposal
75% are diverted annually from stockpiling or disposal
25% still end up in landfills
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 11

 Solution: Increase the lifespan of tires
1.
Increase consumer education on tire maintenance at retail and other locations
2.
3.
4.
Provide free and convenient pressure gauges and air for tire maintenance
Install “smart tire” systems on new vehicles
 Federal requirements likely under TREAD
Manufacture longer lasting tires
 28,000 miles in 1981; 43,000 miles in 2001
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 12

7.
8.
5.
6.
Encourage consumers to buy longer lasting tires
 Higher cost, better lifecycle costs
Develop a unified approach to optimal tire pressure
 Auto manufacturers currently recommend pressure
Additional strategy - nitrogen inflation systems
Additional strategy - incentives and education strategies for fleets
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 13

 Reuse, Retreads and Remolds
 Reuse allows for a used tire to be reused as is
 1.5 million tires reused in California (2001)
 Estimated that 2-5% of generated tires are segregated for for reuse
 Estimated that up to 10% could be reused
 Price must be very low to compete with low-cost new tires
 Retread allows for casing to be reused, but new tread is added


 Retreads most often apply to light and large, commercial truck tires
In California, 59 companies and retailers sell retread tires
Estimated that 737,500 retread tires are sold in California annually
 Remold allows rubber to be molded into new tires
 New technology in US, but used in Europe
14 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 Challenges:
 New tires can be very expensive - used tires cannot compete
 Concern over liability of selling/using used tires - void warrantees or insurance
 Retreads must overcome quality/perception concerns tread on the side of the road
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 15

 Solution: Increase reuse and retread markets for tires
1.
2.
Promote use of retreads among local government and commercial fleets
 Cost savings
 Equal performance
 County, city and commercial fleets
Reduce liability concerns over reused tires
 Insurance barriers
 More reuse and export opportunities
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 16

July 28, 2004
 Tires collected by retailers and local governments
 Retailers have limited space
 Some local ordinances do not allow outdoor storage
 All generators must register - 16,000 registered in
California
 Contracted haulers
 Ensure proper management and/or disposal of tires
 Must meet state and federal laws on storage, transport and management
 Registration with state - 10 or more tires
 Tire manifest program
 In effect since 1995


Strengthened in 2001 (more oversight)
Allows for electronic filing of paperwork (2 haulers)
17 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 Solution: Reduce regulatory barrier to lower costs of tire collection
1.
2.
Streamline tire manifest system
 New system effective July 1, 2003
 Increased enforcement
 Requires generators to report
Develop cooperative collection contracts


New system and enforcement has forced some recyclers out of business
Cooperative contracts could help collectors be more competitive
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 18

 Crumb rubber results from the ambient or cryogenic processing of a scrap tire


Removes the metal and fluff
Clean ground rubber product
 Varies in size
 Used directly or as a raw material feedstock for new product manufacturing - mats, liners, tires, etc.
 Challenges
 Each tire by type or manufacturer has unique recipe
 Tires are expensive to process
 Must compete with low virgin rubber prices


Specifications for crumb rubber not well known
Each potential product has it’s own challenges
19 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 Solution: Develop sustainable and diversified crumb rubber markets
1.
2.
3.
Promote existing specifications for crumb rubber
 Little known ASTM standard
 ISRI also developing standards
Increase government and business purchase of tirederived products
 Model procurement policies
 Marketing plans
Overcome perception related to inferior quality of recycled content tires
 Education on price, quality and availability
 Point of purchase advertising when buying tires
20 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

4.
5.
6.
•
•
Research and develop strategies to overcome technical barriers to using crumb rubber as a raw material
Devulcanization
Generic MSDSs on chemical properties
•
•
Equipment grants for crumb rubber manufacturers
Expensive capital investment
Seed funding instead of on-going subsidies
•
Provide marketing assistance for California tire-derived product manufacturers
Assistance with trade shows and international trade marketing
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 21

 Currently tires contain between 0 - 5% recycled rubber
 Post consumer or industrial scrap?
 Potential for 10 - 15%
 Challenges:
 Chemistry of tires
 Vulanized rubber properties
 Without technological breakthrough, adding recycled rubber to tires can impact tire longevity and performance
 Cost
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 22

July 28, 2004
 Solution: Increase percentage of recycled content in new tire manufacture
1.
2.
3.
Increase recycled tire rubber in new tire manufacturing and other molded products
 0-5% currently used
 10-15% potentially feasible
 Impact on tire longevity and performance
Conduct research on technologies to increase recycled content in tires
 Devulcanization
Provide financial incentives to increase demand for recycled rubber
 Level the playing field with virgin rubber
 Short term incentives - procurement grants
23 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

4.
Develop recycled-content tire procurement specifications along with strategy for procurement of recycled content tires and molded products.
5.
Additional strategy - Government procurement of recycled-content tires (would require tire manufacturers to disclose amount of recycled-content in tires).
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 24

 Shredded tires can be substituted for other fill material, such as aggregate, sand and gravel
 Used for a variety of applications:
 Landfill application
 Civil engineering applications
 Embankments


Bridge embankments
Road base
 Septic/drainage fields
 Challenges:


Design specifications
Proper installation
 Past performance
 Logistics
25 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

July 28, 2004
 Solution: Increase the civil engineering applications for shredded tires
1.
2.
3.
4.
Provide education and information on benefits of using waste tire shreds in landfill applications
 Drainage in leachate collection


Landfill liners
Alternative daily cover
Educate transportation officials about ASTM specifications for tire shreds
 Bridge embankments, subgrade fill, retaining walls
 Writing standards into state and local contracts
Allow for, and promote, waste tire use in local septic fields/drainage through local ordinances and state rule
Educate about specifications to increase the use of tires in road base
 Specifications to reduce risks
Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 26

July 28, 2004



Loose fill crumb rubber or poured in place for recreation and outdoor uses
 Playground cover


Running tracks
Sports fields
 Horse arenas


Golf courses
Walking trails
 Mulch
Advantages:
 Safety - Absorb impact
 Drainage
Challenges:
 Cost
 State grants
 Public perception
27 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 Solution: Develop sustainable and diversified recreation markets
1.
2.
Promote benefits of crumbed and chipped rubber over traditional materials used in sports fields, playgrounds, horse arenas, golf courses, walking trails, and as mulch
 Overcome negative perceptions
 Promote use and proper installation
Develop a market development plan for recreational uses
 Grants help, but need more to move into the mainstream
 Demonstration projects, evaluation, testimonials
 Involve parks departments, schools, daycare centers
 As market develops, costs and concerns decrease
28 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 25 million tires still landfilled in California annually


Tires must be shredded before legally disposed of in a landfill
Most of California’s 152 solid waste landfills accept tires for disposal
 Cost of landfilling
 $2.61 per tire
 $102.70 per ton of shredded tires
 Landfilling is least expensive management option available in California
29 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 Solution: Reduce tire landfilling through incentives and disincentives
1.
2.
3.
4.
Phase in a landfill ban on tires
 Current law allows shredded tires to be landfilled
 Other states have complete ban
Increase landfill tipping fees
 Level playing field between landfilling and recycling
Provide incentives for retailers and haulers
 Financial incentive to recycle over landfilling
Require storage and marketing of tires before landfilling
 Discourages landfilling and provides incentive for recycling
 Concerns over stockpiling tires for any reason
30 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 Tire fee of $1 per tire is collected at retail and given to state to run tire programs (up from $.25 per tire before 2000)
 Market development
 Regulatory
 Enforcement
 Tire pile clean-ups
 Education


$33 million collected annually
An additional fee is often charged to actually pay for the cost of managing and disposing of a tire (administrative and hauling)
 Fee scheduled to be reduced to $.75 per tire on December 31,
2006
31 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 Solution: Develop agreement on long-term funding strategy
1.
2.
Develop a third party organization that can provide costeffective system management
 Examples of other successful third party systems
 Pays for actual recycling costs
 Fees collected are guaranteed for use on tire programs
Distribute funding according to negotiated priorities
 Setting priorities with input from all stakeholders
 Ensuring those priorities are funded
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 32

Tier One Issues and Strategies

 Markets:
 Crumb Rubber
 Recycled Content in Tires


Loose Fill Crumb Rubber Products
Molded Products from Crumb Rubber
 Rubberized Asphalt Concrete
 Shredded tires
 Civil Engineering Applications


Landfill Applications
Lightweight Fill
 Road Base
 Tire Derived Fuel
 Whole or chipped
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 34

 Challenges:
 Technological


Economical
Institutional


Logistical
Environmental
 Lack of Information/Education


Perception or Past Performance
Highest and Best Use
 Lack of Experience
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 35



Short-term and long-term performance goals exist for reuse/recycling programs that are measurable and aggressive, but attainable
Projects and programs include evaluation mechanisms for mid-course improvements when data show that programs are not meeting performance goals.
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 36

 Solution: Develop performance metrics for program success
1.
2.


Set measurable goals for market development and reduced disposal.
 Set long-term goals for reuse, retread, recycling and reduced disposal
Benchmarking/setting timelines/follow-up
Resource Conservation Challenge Tire Cluster goals


Divert 85% of waste tires to reuse, recycling or energy recovery by 2008
Reduce by 55% the number of tires stockpiled by 2008
Reduce regulatory barriers to market development
 Do people want to identify any barriers and propose solutions to resolve them?
 “Waste tire”
37 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

July 28, 2004
 Tire-derived fuel
 Whole tires - 2 of 17 cement kilns burning tires
 Tire chip fuel - 2 co-generation plants burning tires
 Cement kilns, co-generation plants, industrial boilers and others
 Substituted in part for coal or coke
 Generates 14,000 BTU of energy per pound compared to 12,500 BTU’s of energy per pound for coal
 Can reduce air pollutants (NOx and SOx)
 Reducing the transportation impacts of fuel sources from out of state
 No state funding can be used for TDF under current state law
Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 38

 Challenges:
 Perception of “tire burning”
 Could increase some air pollutants
 Not the highest and best use of the resource - initial resources are gone forever
 Conversion of plant is expensive
 Permitting of tire burning is expensive and takes time
 Logistically not every facility is cost-effective
 Potential contaminants
 Tire chip fuel has costs of processing
39 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 Absolutely no TDF use
OR
 Maximize TDF use as part of a diversified market development strategy
OR
 Develop TDF markets initially, but move more tires towards more value-added end use markets
40 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 Solution: Increase tire-derived fuel markets
1.
2.
3.
Overcome perception related to environmental hazard of burning tires for fuel
 EPA support for TDF
 Lowers NOx and SOx
 Not highest and best use, but is a proven market
Provide financial assistance for facility conversion or other start-up costs
 Expensive capital investment
 Not currently allowed under California funding programs
Additional strategy - research into combustion technology and emissions control technology (less theory, more science)
41 July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

July 28, 2004
 Blending crumb rubber in the liquid asphalt on road construction projects, parking lots, other
 CalTrans, local highway departments, contractors, private sector
 Challenges:


Concerns over patents and mix designs
Climate
 Proper Installation
 Cost


Material costs could add to project costs
Thinner layers of material with improved performance
(AZDOT)
 Getting material to jobsite
 CalTrans project scheduling delivery of 660,000 tires
 Need for greater incentives to motivate use
42 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA

 CalTrans established 15% internal goal
 Proposed legislation would require 20 - 50% goal by 2012 (AB 338)
 Proposed legislation also requires use of US tire rubber only
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 43

 Every appropriate paving project includes rubberized asphalt.
July 28, 2004 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA 44

July 28, 2004
 Solution: Develop sustainable and diversified rubberized asphalt concrete markets
1.
2.
3.
4.
Use standardized asphalt mix designs and paving standards for
RAC
 AZDOT
Train and educate state and local highway engineers, and others, on RAC use, costs, and benefits
 CalTrans, country highway departments, contractors
 Lifecycle analysis


Reduced cracking
Noise reduction
Require CalTrans and others receiving state funding to purchase California derived tire rubber
 Pending legislation requires US tire rubber use
Develop infrastructure and logistics for material delivery
 Storage, transport, scheduling
 Long-term contracts
45 Tire Stewardship Project - Stakeholder Meeting, Sacramento, CA