SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): The US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has called for innovations and fresh investments in tire recycling programmes.

According to USTMA’s 2021 Scrap Tire Management Report published recently, the markets consumed only 71% of the scrap tires generated in 2021. This is significantly lower from the recovery rate of 76% in 2019 and 96% in 2013. The scrap tire generation surged higher by 13%, whereas the markets to consume them expanded only by 6%.

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The ground rubber market has emerged as the largest scrap tire market, surging higher by 29% since 2019. The second largest market continues to be Tire Derived Fuel (TDF), although it has witnessed 15% decline since 2019. The other market to see additional increase in 2021 was civil engineering applications, which accounted for consumption of nearly 6% of scrap tires.

The Association recommended three focus areas to boost efforts to move all scrap tires to end-use markets- seize historic infrastructure opportunities, ensure robust state scrap tire management programs and improved collaboration and increased partnerships.

Anne Forristall Luke, president and CEO of USTMA noted that it will continue its efforts to expand markets and advance opportunities for scrap tire technologies. It must be noted that the volume of illegal or abandoned stockpiled tires recorded substantial decline during the previous year.