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Waste Policy Forum
Border Land Contamination
Border Scrap Tires
Millions of scrap tires can be found throughout the border region. Ciudad Juarez is home to the region’s largest scrap tire pile with three to four million tires. Along with being ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes, rats and other disease vectors, tire piles are fire hazards that, if ablaze, can generate acute air, water and land contamination. The Border 2012 program has removed roughly 4 million tires throughout the border region since 2003 – the majority of which were used as fuel in cement kilns. Other tires were used in pilot road paving projects and other innovative, experimental re-use projects. The removal of these tires means people on both sides of the border avoided mosquito-borne diseases and exposure to the toxic results of tire pile fires.
On this page:
- How to Become Involved? – Join the Border 2012 Tire Group
- Border 2012 Tire Group Meetings – View meeting summaries
- US-Mexico Scrap Tire Integrated Management Initiative
- Tire Initiative Collaborative Effort (Letter of Understanding)
- Border Scrap Tire Pile Clean-up
- Inventory of Scrap Tire Piles in the Border Area
- Border 2012 Scrap Tire Action Plans – Summary of border tire projects
- Frequently Asked Questions and Background Information
- Links and Resources
- Workgroup Contacts
How to Become Involved? Join the Border 2012 Tire Group!
What is the Border 2012 Group?
The Border 2012 Tire Group emphasizes collaboration among stakeholders who have an interest in border scrap tire issues. The Group meets annually in different border communities.
Who Should Join?
Individuals interested in the US-Mexican border scrap tire issue are invited to join the Border 2012 Tire Group. Stakeholders include U.S. and Mexican federal, state and local governments, other governmental organizations, academia, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations.
Why Join?
The scrap tire problem in the Border region is complex. In order to solve the issue, all stakeholders need to be involved and fully engaged in finding solutions. Through the concentrated efforts of the Border 2012 Scrap Tire Group, all interested parties can achieve their aims in a mutually beneficial way.
Border 2012 Tire Group Meetings
May 2008 Meeting
A "Forum for Developing Sustainable Scrap Tire Management Plans" was the theme for the third Border 2012 Tire Group meeting which took place May 8-9, 2008 in San Diego. The forum presented six actions central to developing sustainable scrap tire management plans.
- 2008 Meeting Agenda (PDF) (4 pp, 72K)
The forum was held in conjunction with the International Tire Conference which was hosted by the California Integrated Waste Management Board. Presentations from this conference including the Border 2012 Tire Group meeting will be posted in fall 2008.
February 2007 Meeting
On February 27, 2007, the Border 2012 Tire Group met in Austin, Texas where border scrap tire stake-holders activities were discussed. Additionally, a description of scrap tire pile prevention actions was given along with an update on border legislation from Senator Elliot Shapleigh of Texas.
- 2007 Meeting Minutes (PDF) (6 pp, 49K)
The LBJ School at the University of Texas at Austin hosted the meeting which took place during the Cross-Border Environmental Management: Scrap Tires and Used Oil Conference. For video coverage of the entire conference, visit the Cross-Border Environmental Management: Scrap Tires and Used Oil Conference Website. 
May 2006 Meeting
On May 17-18, 2006, the first Border 2012 Tire Group meeting was held in San Diego. The meeting was sponsored by California Integrated Waste Management Board.
- 2006 Meeting Minutes (PDF) (7 pp, 30K)
US-Mexico Scrap Tire Integrated Management Initiative
The US-Mexico Scrap Tire Integrated Management Initiative (PDF) (4 pp, 60K) (en Español) (7 pp, 73K) (Tire Initiative) provides four principles and six actions central to developing sustainable scrap tire management plans.The Tire Initiative was agreed upon by the Border 2012 Tire Group in coordination with Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARANT) and EPA and signed by both nations in October 2006. Its development resulted from commitments made by the EPA Administrator and the SEMARNAT Minister at a US-Mexico Binational Commission meeting in 2004.
Tire Initiative Collaborative Effort / Letter of Understanding
- Background
- Partnerships - Learn how the Border States, border municipalities, U.S. Rubber Manufactures Association and Mexican Chamber of Rubber, Border Legislative Conference, and Border Governors Conference are collaborating towards the Tire Initiative.
- How can my municipality become involved in the Tire Initiative Collaborative Effort? - View a sample Municipality Letter of Understanding, contact information and a summary background sheet to share with your municipality officials.
Background
The US-Mexico Scrap Tire Integrated Management Initiative is being implemented is through an exciting effort called the Tire Initiative Collaborative Effort. The purpose of the Collaborative Effort is to increase awareness and understanding of the Tire Initiative by having a representative from each Border State and municipality sign a Tire Initiative Letter of Understanding. By signing a Letter of Understanding, Border States and municipalities are:
- Indicating their awareness and understanding of the Tire Initiative and its Principles and Actions;
- Expressing their support and collaboration with the Tire Initiative;
- Committing to work together to leverage our existing resources to implement activities which support each of the Tire Initiative’s Actions while maintaining consistency with each country's waste management policies; and;
- Border States are committing to encourage U.S. and Mexican municipalities to support the Tire Initiative.
Summary background sheet (PDF) (2 pp, 92K) (en Español) (2 pp, 96K)
Partnerships
Collaboration is an essential component to solving the binational tire problem. Border States, a number of border municipalities, U.S. and Mexican Industry, Border Legislative Conference, and Border Governors Conference are collaborating towards initiating the Tire Initiative.
Border States
On August 14, 2008, all Ten Border States Environmental Secretariats formally signed a Tire Initiative Letter of Understanding at the Border Governors Conference.
- English Ten Border State Letter of Understanding (PDF). (4 pp, 112K)
- Spanish Ten Border State Letter of Understanding (PDF). (4 pp, 126K)
- EPA press release on Ten Border States Letter of Understanding.
Partnership National Contacts
Ellie Kanipe
U.S. EPA Headquarters (Kanipe.Ellie@epa.gov)
Edgar Del Villar Alvelais
SEMARNAT, Coordinación de Asesores (edgar.delvillar@semarnat.gob.mx)
Alexandra González Narro SEMARNAT, Asesora de la C. Subsecretaria
(alexandra.gonzalez@ semarnat.gob.mx)
Partnership Regional Contacts
California-Baja
California Arizona-Sonora
Emily Pimentel
U.S. EPA Region 9 (Pimentel.Emily@epa.gov)
New Mexico-Texas-Chihuahua
Robert Snowbarger
U.S. EPA Region 6 (Snowbarger.Robert@epa.gov)
Border Municipalities
A number of municipalities have agreed to take steps to implement the Tire Initiative. The first two municipalities to formally agree to implement the Tire Initiative were Nogales, Sonora and San Luis, Sonora in 2007.
Learn how your municipality can become involved.
U.S. and Mexico Industry
The United States and Mexican tire manufacturers industries, represented by the U.S. Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the Mexican Chamber of Rubber respectively, are committed to collaborating with the U.S. and Mexican governments to solve the tire problems on the US-Mexico border. Both organizations recognize their critical role in solving the border tire issue and understand that industry must work closely with government to solve this problem. For example, since 2000, RMA has been dedicated to the border by providing valuable information, building infrastructure and developing tire markets along the border. The Mexican Chamber of Rubber has a successful agreement with SEMARNAT that is currently being implemented. RMA and the Mexican Chamber of Rubber will continue their essential work while collaborating with Federal, State and local governments on both sides of the border.
- U.S. Rubber Manufacturers Association Letter of Understanding (PDF)(3 pp, 745K)
- RMA press release on signing of Letter of Understanding.
Border Legislative Conference and Border Governors Conference
At the 16th Border Legislative Conference on October 19, 2007, State legislators from the U.S. and Mexico expressed their support of the Tire Initiative. Additionally, the stated the need to share information about the Tire Initiative as well as solicit input from local government officials on joining state-local government collaboration strategies
At the XXVI Annual Border Governors Conference, a joint declaration was signed by Border State Governors to execute the Tire Initiative between the Environment worktable representatives.
How Can My Municipality Become Involved in the Tire Initiative Collaborative Effort?
It is important to note that the Border Municipalities are not financially obligating themselves by signing a Letter of Commitment.
- Sample Municipality Letter of Understanding (PDF) (3 pp, 1.5M) (en Español) (3 pp, 49K)
- A summary background (PDF) (2 pp, 97K) (en Español) (2 pp, 100K) to share with your municipality officials.
- Partnership Contacts (see box at right)
Border Scrap Tire Pile Clean-up
Under the Reduce Land Contamination goal of the binational environmental Border 2012 Program, objective three addresses the cleanup of scrap tire piles. Specifically, the objective aims to cleanup three of the larger scrap tire sites in the US-Mexico border region by 2010. Great strides have been made in achieving this objective with over 4 million tires having been cleaned-up along the border, including the elimination of the two largest piles (INNOR and Centinela). Smaller site clean-ups are occurring.
- View a May 2008 PowerPoint presentation on the clean-up of tire piles (25 pp, 3.0M) (Spanish only).
- View the Border 2012 Action Plans for description of clean-ups.
Inventory of Scrap Tire Piles in the Border Area
The US-Mexico Border Tire Inventory Summary Report (May 2007) is the first inventory to be completed of scrap tires for the entire US-Mexico border region. The report features a GIS map of scrap tires in the region.
Border 2012 Scrap Tire Action Plans
The Border 2012 Scrap Tire Action Plans (PDF) (40 pp, 1.3M) (en Español) (40 pp, 1.3M) provide brief summaries of projects being done by various levels of government, universities and nonprofits allowing us to coordinate and share information on both EPA and non EPA efforts. The summaries share details of each project including a description, expected outcomes, a timeframe for project completion, the responsible organization with contact information, and the project’s funding source. The projects are organized under the US-Mexico Border Scrap Tire Integrated Management Initiative’s Principles and Actions.
Frequently Asked Questions and Background Information
- View Border 2012 Funded Scrap Tire Projects (2004-2008) (PDF)(2 pp, 28K)
Additional information planned for October 2008.
Links and Resources
Information planned for October 2008.
Contact the Workgroup Co-chairs