What happens to scrap tires?

The Western Canada Tire Dealers Association believes in the 5 R’s of recycling (Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Recover and Residual Management). And therefore was instrumental in developing industry managed scrap tire recycling programs (Programs) in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan & Manitoba. We believe these Programs are second to none in North America with each achieving high diversion rates and creating a vibrant recycling industry in each province.

Each Program is run by a not-for-profit society and governed by a Board of Directors.  Common to all four Programs is the collection of an advance disposal fee, commonly referred to as an “eco fee”, on the sale of every new tire.  These fees are used to pay for transporting scrap tires from the tire retailer, or generator site, to a recycling facility for processing. This ensures that scrap tires are disposed of in an environmentally responsible way, instead of ending up in stockpiles or in our landfills.

A common process in each province is the recycling of the tire into crumb rubber, which are granules of rubber with the steel and fibre removed.  The crumb is used in flooring products for: agricultural, recreational and industrial use; as an additive for rubberized asphalt, synthetic turf fields, highway & landfill construction.  In Alberta a primary use for their scrap tires is tire shred which is used as aggregate in local landfills and in BC some tires are used as a fuel supplement replacing fossil fuel alternatives in cement kilns.

Each Program has at least one Director that sits on the Board representing the Western Canada Tire Dealers Association.

There are many common features in each Program, one of which is the Community Grant Program.  This program provides financial support to communities who have decided to use and benefit from a wide range of recycled tire products in their projects.   Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organizations such as townships and schools and the projects typically involve recreational facilities such as playgrounds, all weather sports fields, running tracks and arena flooring.  The most common projects are the use of recycled scrap tires for playground surfacing to replace pea gravel or wood chips.  This application, besides setting new standards for safety is completely wheelchair and walker accessible.

For more information on all of these Programs you can visit their web sites at:

www.albertarecycling.ca

www.tirestewardshipbc.ca

www.scraptire.sk.ca

www.tirestewardshipmb.ca