California Putting the Rubber in the Road: State Helping Californians Drive Smoother While Protecting the Environment

SACRAMENTO--Today the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) approved $392,400 in incentive grants for San Joaquin County and the Cities of Colton and Tracy to use rubberized asphalt concrete (RAC) in road paving projects.

RAC uses 2,000 tires per lane mile, resists cracking, retains its original color so that road markings are more clearly visible, and over its lifetime dramatically cuts costs for road projects: a two-inch layer of the material can save up to $50,000 per lane mile compared to a 4-inch thick layer of conventional asphalt.

"It’s very encouraging to see communities finding a higher, better use for used tires," said Board Chair Margo Reid Brown. "California is a leader when it comes to all things innovative and recycling should always be a goal."

RAC provides an alternative to traditional asphalt and reduces noise, provides drivers with a smoother ride, and costs less to maintain, all while diverting thousands of waste tires from landfills and protecting our environment.

"These grants provide funds to local governments for much needed road improvements," said Brown. "Increasing the use of rubberized asphalt concrete not only helps divert tires, but also provides quieter, longer-lasting roads."

The Board approved grants in the Targeted RAC Incentive (TRI) Program of $175,000 for San Joaquin County; $134,000 for the City of Colton (San Bernardino County); and $83,400 for the City of Tracy (San Joaquin County). The three grants will divert nearly 14,000 tons of waste tires from California landfills.

Made by blending rubber from recycled waste tires with asphalt, and then applying the mix to road surfaces, RAC has been successfully used in street paving projects by State and local transportation agencies throughout California and Arizona.

Funds from the Board's Targeted Rubberized Asphalt Concrete Incentive Grant Program help first-time and/or limited RAC users cover the difference in costs of using RAC in lieu of conventional asphalt paving. The program is funded from the $1.75 disposal fee levied on each new tire sold in California. The Board receives $1.00 of each $1.75 fee, and the remainder is used for tire-related air emission programs.

California produces more than 40 million waste tires annually. Although approximately 75 percent of this number is diverted from landfill disposal, the state faces the challenge of dealing with roughly 10 million surplus tires annually, the majority of which end up in landfills and illegal stockpiles. Over the past few years, California has recycled nearly 10 million waste tires with RAC paving projects.

Waste tires create several environmental health hazards if landfilled or illegally stockpiled. Piles can collect water, creating breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes, rodents and other vermin while also posing a high fire risk. Tire fires are difficult to extinguish, create heavy smoke, and send toxic runoff into waterways.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board is the state's leading authority on recycling and waste reduction. It promotes reducing waste whenever possible, managing all materials to their highest and best use and protecting public health and safety and the environment.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board is one of six boards, departments, and offices within the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA).

# # #

Zero Waste California
Visit us at www.ciwmb.ca.gov to learn more about reducing waste.