Used Tire Stockpiles Decline 90 Percent Since 1990

As demand for ground rubber increases, the nation’s stockpiles of used tires have dropped considerably, according to data released by the Rubber Manufacturers Association at a recent symposium.

RMA Senior Vice President Michael Blumenthal says that stockpiled tires have dropped from 1 billion in 1990 to 100 million in 2007. Also known as “tire yards,” stockpiled tires raise environmental concerns because they are breeding grounds for vermin and susceptible to fires that are difficult to extinguish and produce heavy black smoke.

Tire shreds are cost-effective substitutes for traditional materials when they are used to stabilize weak soil, such as constructing road embankments or as a subgrade fill. Photo: Bossintl.com

Blumenthal adds that the demand for ground rubber rose 46 percent from 2005 to 2007. Ground rubber can be turned into:

1. Playground surfaces (although the EPA is currently investigating the environmental and health effects of this)
2. A soil additive for sports fields
3. Insulation
4. Shock absorbing running tracks
5. Mulch

Another common way to dispose of tires is through tire-derived fuel, a way of harnessing the oil content of tires to produce energy. The average tire can contain up to five gallons of oil used as feedstock.

One concern raised by the tire industry at the symposium was the competition from Canada’s Ontario Tire Stewardship program. This program begins on September 1 and will attempt to divert 90 percent of tires from Ontario landfills within five years. RMA’s fear is that increased supply of ground rubber will reduce prices.