Scrap tyre management a ‘success story’ – USTMA

Stockpiles of scrap tyres in the United States of America have decreased 94 per cent since the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) instigated efforts to re-purpose scrap tyres, reports the trade association. While scrap tyre stockpiles in the USA contained more than a billion tyres in total in 1991, by 2017 these stockpiles had reduced to just 60 million tyres.

Progress made by the USTMA in managing scrap tyres has been set out in a report published this month. The association shares that 81.4 per cent of scrap tyres were re-used in products such as tyre-derived fuel, rubber modified asphalt and other products last year. The highest use of scrap tyres in 2017 was for tyre-derived fuel at 43 per cent. The use of tyre-derived fuel in cement kilns has continued to increase, paralleled with a strong performance of the construction industry.

“Scrap tyre management in the U.S. demonstrates an environmental success story – one that not enough people know about,” said Anne Forristall Luke, USTMA president and chief executive officer. “Over the past 30 years, USTMA has worked with state partners to find uses for scrap tyres. This success is reflective of the commitment to environmental responsibility from our industry, and we look forward to building on these successes as we work towards our goal of 100 per cent of scrap tyres reused.”

The USTMA’s Scrap Tire Program will focus on two key areas of growth in the future: tyre-derived fuel and rubber modified asphalt. Tyre-derived fuel, which is used for industrial purposes, consumed about 106 million scrap tyres in the USA in 2017. Rubber modified asphalt, another key growth area, can be used to build safer and more durable roads than other traditional types of asphalt. The USTMA is working with stakeholders to increase awareness for the benefits of these two products.

The USTMA represents the 12 manufacturers that produce tyres in the USA – Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper Tires, Giti Tire, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Hankook Tire, Kumho Tire, Michelin North America, Pirelli, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Toyo Tires and Yokohama Tire Corporation.