Tire Recycling Program Annual Report, 1994

Contents

Preface
I. Used Tire Markets and Quantification
II. Tire Recycling Grant Program
III. Contracts

Preface
Assembly Bill 1843 of 1989 (PRC §42800, et. seq.) established the California Tire Recycling Act (Act), requiring the Integrated Waste Management Board (IWMB) to initiate a tire recycling program. The goal of the program is to promote and develop alternatives to the landfill disposal of whole waste tires.

Within the Act, PRC §42885 created the California Tire Recycling Management Fund (Fund), which is used to support tire recycling activities. Revenue is generated by a disposal fee of $0.25 that is collected from persons leaving used tires for disposal with tire dealers. Monies are remitted to the Fund, and are appropriated to the Board annually.

This annual report has been prepared to fulfill the reporting requirements of PRC §42884 of the Act. This section requires the IWMB to report to the Legislature on the number of tires recycled or otherwise diverted from disposal in landfills or stockpiles, and the comparative costs and benefits of the recycling or conversion processes funded from the Fund.

This report is organized into three sections. Section I, Used Tire Markets and Quantification, provides estimates of used tire generation, consumption, and disposal in California. Section II, Tire Recycling Grant Program, provides background information on the program and lists all business development, innovative research, and local government grant awards to date. Section III, Contracts, provides information on other related activities including waste tire facility regulation, hauler registration, public education, and marketing and technical research.

I. Used Tire Markets and Quantification

Due to population increases in the nation and the state, the number of vehicle miles traveled and the amount of vehicle fuel consumed also increases. These indicators also signify an increase in the number of used tires generated. Because tire shipment figures are only available for the nation, the IWMB estimated the number of used tires generated primarily by population increases and state industry approximations.

Based on a 1994 estimate of U.S. population of 258 million and a California fraction of 12.3%, the IWMB estimates California's population at about 31.7 million for 1994. Based on this figure and industry approximations, the IWMB estimates that about 29 million used tires (light-duty and heavy-duty) were generated in California in 1994.

The IWMB has estimated that of the 29.0 million used and waste tires generated in 1994, approximately 17.9 million were diverted for varying alternatives including reuse, retreading, and combustion (see Table 1).

Because of the lack of detailed information available on tire recycling activities in California (due to the historic lack of a formal system for tracking used tire shipments and for creating and maintaining a database of used tire haulers, shredders, processors and recyclers), the IWMB has estimated the quantity of tires recycled or diverted from landfill disposal and stockpiling based primarily on industry contacts who transport, process, and/or recycle large quantities of used tires. Any recycling trends discussed have been based on information from industry contacts as well as staff estimates.

In the future, the IWMB will have access to waste tire manifests collected from the tire hauler registration program currently being implemented. This information will enable staff to better determine waste tire generation.

Reuse
An alternative to disposal is tire reuse. After the purchase of new tires, the remaining used tires which still have a legal tread depth can be re-sold by the tire dealer. Rather than being disposed of prematurely, these tires are commonly reused, often beyond that which the law allows. Based upon industry sources and trends, of the estimated 29.0 million used tires generated this year, about 1.3 million were reused.

Retreading
Tire retreading is a viable option for renewing used tires by reusing the tire casing after the legal tread has been worn off. Based upon surveys, industry contacts, and tire retreading trends and statistics, about 2.4 million retreaded tires were sold in 1994.

Export
Tire export (consisting of both used and waste tires) reduces the number of tires requiring disposal in California. According to industry contacts, approximately 1.3 million used tires were exported (mainly to Mexico) for reuse and retreading in 1994. Historically waste tires have been exported to Mexico and have reportedly been stockpiled there rather than reused. Due to environmental protection efforts by the Mexican government however, waste tires cannot be legally imported until all waste tires in Mexico are first reused or cleaned up. It may be years before waste tires can again be exported legally to Mexico.

Table 1
 Used Tire Recycling and Disposal (Numbers in Millions)

1. Imported tires combusted as a fuel supplement.
2. Because additional tires from an existing tire pile are used, the total number combusted is higher (about 5.2 million for 1992 & 1993 and 6.0 million for 1994). The figure represents the number of tires combusted from the annual waste tire stream.
3. Because additional tires from an existing tire pile are used, the total number combusted is higher (about 6.0 million for 1994). To determine the number of California tires combusted as a fuel supplement, subtract the number of tires imported.
4. In actuality, more tire rubber is used than these figures depict. However, the extra rubber used is tire buffings from tire retread operations. These tires are already accounted for in the retreaded tire category.
5. Determined by summing the number Reused, Retreaded, Exported, Combusted for Energy Production, Combusted for Fuel Supplement, and subtracting the number Imported. This figure represents the total number of tires recycled from the annual waste stream, although in 1994 approximately 18.7 million tires were recycled.
6. This figure represents the number of tires diverted from the annual waste stream.

Combustion
Tire combustion significantly reduces the number of tires requiring landfill disposal or stockpiling. In 1994, about 12.0 million tires were combusted as fuel in California (of which 11.2 million were from California's annual waste stream). Of the 12.0 million tires combusted, approximately 6.0 million (0.3 million from the existing stockpile) were combusted at the Modesto Energy Project in Westley, California. The facility generates about 14 megawatts of electrical power which is sold to a local utility. Because the facility's 10 year Power Purchase Agreement with PG&E will expire in Spring 1998, however, its future is uncertain.

Calaveras Cement Company in Redding, California, combusted approximately 2.2 million tires in 1994, of which about 0.2 million were imported from Oregon. Of the total fuel consumption at this facility, 30% is supplied by waste tires. Due to process limitations, it is not anticipated that this facility will increase its tire use significantly.

Southwestern Cement Company in Victorville, California, combusted about 1.3 million tires in 1994. In the future, company officials hope to combust waste tires in a second "long" kiln at the facility. If permitted, the Southwestern Cement Company in Victorville could combust up to about 2.3 million tires per year.

Mitsubishi Cement Company in Lucerne Valley, California, combusted about 2.3 million tires in 1994, 0.3 million from existing stockpiles. Approximately 10% of their total fuel requirement is now supplied by waste tires. A permanent waste tire handling system is currently being installed at the facility. Company officials hope to increase their tire consumption to 25% of their fuel requirement, potentially combusting 5.0 million tires annually.

California Portland Cement Company in Mojave, California, is currently test burning tires as a fuel supplement. It is estimated that 1.5 million tires could be consumed annually.

Riverside Cement Company in Oro Grande, California, is in the process of obtaining a permit to construct a tire handling system and test-burn tires as fuel. It is anticipated that the facility could consume 3.0 million tires annually.

Other Uses
Based upon industry contacts and staff estimates, about 1.7 million tires were used for other alternatives including Asphalt-Rubber, Rubber-Modified Asphalt Concrete, playground cover, crash barriers, mats, and other various cut, stamped, or molded products.

In 1991, Congress enacted the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) which requires, starting in 1994, that five percent of the asphalt placed (by tonnage) in projects that are financed by Federal funds use some form of Rubberized Asphalt Concrete (RAC). This amount increases by five percent each year, to a maximum of 20% in 1997. If only the federal requirements are met, the potential tire consumption from RAC in California will grow from 1.2 million tires currently to 5-7 million in 1997. Due to lobbying by the conventional paving contractors, the ISTEA requirements were not enforced by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for 1994 and will not be enforced in 1995 (requirement - 10% RAC). Caltrans is continuing to use RAC in California paving applications regardless of the outcome.

Quantification Summary
The remaining number of tires requiring landfill disposal or stockpiling in 1994 was about 11.1 million tires or about 38% of the annual used tire waste stream. Approximately 17.9 million used and waste tires (62%) were diverted from disposal (up from 34% in 1990). Because of the uncertainty of some recycling or diversion estimates, however, these numbers are only approximations.

The IWMB is confident in the values assigned for the categories of tires retreaded, imported, combusted for energy production, and combusted as a fuel supplement. The IWMB has less confidence, however, in the values assigned to the categories of reused, exported, and other uses due to the lack of sufficient information.

Outlook
Based primarily upon industry contacts and trends, it is apparent that tire disposal and stockpiling is decreasing, while waste tire recycling is increasing (see Figure 1). From 1990 through 1994, the IWMB has observed a 28% increase in the tire recycling rate. In 1990, the IWMB estimated that 9.2 million tires were diverted from landfill disposal and stockpiling. In 1994, the IWMB estimates that approximately 17.9 million tires were diverted from the annual waste stream.

By far, waste tire combustion consumes the majority of the tires recycled in the state, accounting for almost 40% of the total recycled in 1994 (see Figure 2). The cement manufacturing industry has shown the greatest increase in waste tire consumption since 1990, and demonstrates the greatest potential for continued growth in the future (see Figure 3).

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Last updated: December 02, 2007