Waste Policy Forum
Land Contamination: Scrap Tires
Scrap Tire Resources
Clean-ups
Fires
General Resources
Grants/Funding
Inventory
Management
Markets / Uses
Prevention
Organizations
State Programs
Millions of scrap tires contaminate the U.S.-Mexico Border region, posing a serious threat to the environment and public health. Improperly managed in stockpiles, illegal dumps, and scattered along road sides, scrap tires are a significant border environmental problem. 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.
Roughly 4 million of the border's tires were cleaned-up from 2003-2008 by Border 2012 partners. The majority of these recovered tires were used as fuel in cement kilns. Pilot road paving projects and other innovative, experimental re-use projects have also taken place in the border region. The removal of these tires means a reduction in the risk of mosquito-borne diseases for populations located near the border along with reducing the number of tire fires.
Scrap Tires Topics:
- Scrap Tire Management – Learn about principles and actions central to developing sustainable scrap tire management plans.
- What is Being Done – Learn about projects related to tire pile clean-ups, pile prevention, research, and community.
- Partnerships – Learn about the Tire Initiative Collaborative Effort and how border States, municipalities and the tire industry are collaborating.
- State Programs - Learn about border state tire programs.
- How to Become Involved? – Join the Border 2012 Tire Group where you’ll collaborate with other stakeholders in creating solutions to the tire problem.
- Meetings – View Border 2012 Tire Group meeting summaries and presentations.
- Resources
- Frequent Questions
Contact the Workgroup Co-chairs