Branch County Tire Recycling Drive Collects 1,310 Tires
The four-hour Michigan collection filled two semi-trailers with unwanted tires under a state-supported program designed to provide residents with approved scrap-tire disposal options.
MONTREAL (RecyclingMonster): A community scrap tire recycling drive in Branch County, Michigan, collected 1,310 unwanted tires on October 10, filling two semi-trailers during a four-hour collection.
The annual event ran from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Branch County Government Complex near the county jail. Branch County Facilities Complex Manager and Maintenance Director Mike Plyley reported the final collection total.
EGLE Grant Supports Local Scrap Tire Collection
The event operates through Michigan's Scrap Tire Cleanup Grant Program, administered by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), with local coordination provided through the Van Buren Conservation District.
Michigan's Scrap Tire Program is funded by a $1.50 fee on vehicle title transfers. For the 2026 cleanup-grant cycle, EGLE expected up to $1 million to be available statewide for cleanup projects.
Collected Tires Move Into Approved Recycling Markets
Tires collected through the program are transported to approved processors for recycling and other authorized end uses.
EGLE identifies several uses for recovered scrap tires, including crumb rubber, tire-derived aggregate, rubber-modified pavement and tire-derived fuel. Steel recovered from tire processing can also be recycled.
Michigan law prohibits whole motor-vehicle tires from being disposed of in landfills, making registered collection, hauling and processing systems an important part of the state's scrap-tire management program.
EGLE estimates that more than 10 million scrap tires are generated in Michigan each year.
Michigan Can Collect the Tires. The Bigger Challenge Is Keeping Markets Open for Them.
The takeaway: Branch County's result was more than a routine cleanup. A total of 143 vehicles delivered 1,310 tires in just four hours, averaging 9.16 tires per vehicle and demonstrating strong use of a program capped at 10 tires per vehicle.
Why this mattersCollection is only the first step. Michigan generates more than 10 million scrap tires annually, so the state's system also depends on processors and end markets capable of turning recovered tire material into useful products.
EGLE's latest end-use analysis shows those markets are changing. Tire-derived fuel has historically absorbed a substantial share of Michigan's processed scrap tires, but EGLE reported that its use began declining in 2024 following changes to state energy policy. The agency has consequently emphasized development of alternatives including rubber-modified asphalt, chip seals, tire-derived aggregate and other recycled-rubber applications.
What to watchThe long-term measure of success is therefore not simply how many tires community events collect. It is whether Michigan can continue expanding stable end markets for the millions of scrap tires generated each year after those tires leave local collection sites.
The Branch County collection is one of the community projects supported through Michigan's broader effort to give residents legal disposal options while reducing illegal tire dumping and unmanaged scrap-tire accumulation.
Branch County Tire Recycling: What to Know
How many tires were collected in Branch County?
The October 10 event collected 1,310 scrap tires, enough to fill two semi-trailers.
How long did the collection run?
The event operated for four hours, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Who supports the Branch County tire recycling program?
The program is supported through an EGLE Scrap Tire Cleanup Grant with local coordination through the Van Buren Conservation District.
How is Michigan's scrap tire cleanup program funded?
The state Scrap Tire Program is funded in part through a $1.50 fee on Michigan vehicle title transfers. EGLE expected up to $1 million to be available for 2026 cleanup grants statewide.
What happens to collected scrap tires?
Approved processors can recover tire material for uses including crumb rubber, tire-derived aggregate, pavement applications, tire-derived fuel and recycled steel.
