Managing
End-of-Life
Tires

Full report

World Business Council for
Sustainable Development

Contents
WBCSD Tire Industry Project: An introduction
The life of a tire: Facts and trends

1
2

What are tires made of?
What is the environmental impact of a tire during its life cycle?
What is an end-of-life tire?		
End-of-life tire generation and recovery worldwide
How does the end-of-life tire recovery rate compare with other goods?

End-of-life tire uses:
Numerous possibilities, existing and under development

6

Why use end-of-life tires and for what purposes?
Energy recovery
Material recovery
Other innovative and emerging uses for end-of-life tires

Management systems for collecting
and recovering end-of-life tires

11

Tire industry responsibility
Government/community responsibility
Free market approach
Landfill and waste piles
End-of-life tire management in developing regions

What is the future outlook?
Useful resources

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13
14

WBCSD Tire Industry Project:
An introduction
Today, when people think of the environmental impacts of tires, they mostly focus on the
management of tires at the end of their useful lives (end-of-life tires, or ELTs), as this topic
usually draws the most public attention.
Globally, an estimated one billion tires reach the end of their useful lives every year.
Disposal of ELTs in environmentally sound and productive ways continues to be a highpriority goal of the tire business. Various regional efforts by governmental authorities, thetire industry and individual manufacturers are currently underway to address the issue of
ELTs, and good progress is being made.
ELT recovery provides cost-effective and environmentally sound energy for several
industries. It also provides innovative materials for civil engineering projects. ELTs canreplace other limited natural resources.
The Tire Industry Project (TIP), under the auspices of the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development (WBCSD), has put together this overview
to explain what ELTs are, what environmental impacts they can have, and what has been
and can be done to ensure they are properly managed.
ELTs have a variety of uses and they are increasingly being viewed as a resource instead of
a waste. Environmental issues continue to be a driving force behind ELT recycling, and as
the recycling industry develops with legislative and infrastructure support, it is becoming
clear that there can be significant benefits.

A summary version of this report is available atwww.wbcsd.org/web/tires or from tires@wbcsd.org

End-of-life tires: Fast facts
n
n
n
n

n
n

n

One passenger tire per person is discarded each year in the developed world
1 billion ELTs are generated globally each year
An estimated 4 billion ELTs are currently in landfills and stockpiles worldwide
ELTs are a resource that can be used in place of virgin materials, reducing natural resource depletion andlowering environmental costs associated with natural resource exploitation
ELTs can replace traditional fossil fuels in some applications and may reduce NOx, SOx and CO2 emissions
ELTs can also be used in civil construction projects as ground or crumb rubber, and as a substitute for coal insteel plants
The ELT recovery rate is now more than 84% for Europe, the US and Japan1

Facts andtrendsThe life of a tire: Facts and trends
What are tires made of?
A typical passenger tire contains 30 types of synthetic

What is the environmental impactof a tire during its life cycle?

rubber, eight types of natural rubber, eight types of carbon

Almost all of the environmental impact of a tire occurs

black, steel cord, polyester, nylon, steel bead wire, silica andduring the use phase, primarily as a result of vehicle fuel use

40 different kinds of chemicals, waxes, oils and pigments.

and carbon dioxide emissions due to rolling resistance. Tire

They typically contain 85% hydrocarbon, 10-15% iron (inwear and road wear debris contribute to a lesser degree tothe bead wire and steel belts) and a variety of chemical

the environmental impact of the use phase. Raw materials

components. Vulcanization (a technique for hardening

production and tire manufacturing account for the next

rubber, making it more durable), the introduction of radial

greatest impact. While recovering and reprocessing end-tires in the 1950s and other advances, including compoundof-life tires have a small environmental impact, it is a visible

revisions for greater durability and longer tread life, meant

one, and of concern to many stakeholders. Distributionthat by 1995 an estimated 2% of recycled material was(transportation) has a small impact.

being used in tires. Today, the use of recycled rubber isgradually decreasing as the properties of recycled rubber
have a negative impact on performance (for example on

What is an end-of-life tire?

fuel consumption).

A tire is considered at the end of its life when it can nolonger be used on vehicles (after having been retreaded or
regrooved). All tires including passenger car, truck, airplane,
two-wheel and off-road tires result in ELTs. However, thebulk of ELTs result from car and truck tires.

Figure 1: The composition of an average vehicle tire

Source: ETRMA 2001

High-strength steel cords areapplied under the tread of passenger
car tires (and in the carcass oftruck tires) while other steel wires
are located near the bead toassure adherence to the rim
Carbon black and silica
are the basic tire fillers,
providing the necessary“structure” to the compound

Other chemicals have various
functions, like oils, zincoxide or anti-degradants toprotect the compound

Synthetic rubber is added
to natural rubber to achieve
the desired elasticity

2

Passenger car tires featurerayon or polyester cords radiallydisposed along the carcass(“radial tires”), while nylon cords
are placed under the treador near the bead area

Natural rubber has unique elastic
properties and is an essential elementof a tire. Truck tires have an evenhigher natural rubber content
then passenger car tires

Facts andtrendsEnd-of-life tire generation
and recovery worldwide
Over the last 15 years recovery rates for ELTs havedramatically increased in Europe, Japan and the US. Japan

Figure 2: Historical recovery rate estimates for ELTs
Sources: Estimates based on data from European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’
Association, Rubber Manufacturers Association and Japan Automobile Tyre
Manufacturers Association Inc.

100

the cost of recycling to the consumer has decreased in90some areas due to both increased efficiency in management

80

structures and new recovery routes. This shift shows that
ELT-derived products can legitimately be recognized as avaluable secondary raw material or an alternative fuel.
ELT generation and recovery rate estimations are not always
available and not always uniform in content. Reuse andretreads are sometimes included in recovery rates. Stockpile
abatement programs also affect the recovery rate.
Country-to-country comparisons are therefore not always
precise. However, for an idea of general trends andestimates, the following information may be useful. The
WBCSD welcomes further information from interested
parties to update this data.

Percentage recovery rate

started recycling programs even earlier. At the same time,

70
60
50
40
30
20

Millions of ELTs generated
per year (including export
and retread)
EuropeJapanUSA

317 (2006)
103 (2006)
299 (2005)

1001994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year
Europe (EU27) adjusted to remove exports and retreads
Japan adjusted to remove exports and retreads
USA adjusted to remove exports
Figures for Europe and Japan exclude exports and retreads,
figures for USA exclude exports3Facts andtrendsFigure 3: Millions of end-of-life tires generated each year
292

250
112

China
22

Canada80

Europe23

USA

South Korea
Israel

7

Iran

Japan

10

30

MexicoMalaysia

14

27

Brazil20

South Africa

Australia

12

New Zealand

4

Energy recovery
Civil engineering uses or material recovery
Landfill, stockpiled, discarded waste or otherSpecific reuse/disposal/recovery data not available

Of those tires that do not go toMillions ofSpecific
export or retread, they are destined for:
ELTs genereuse/
Civil engineering Landfill, stockpiled, disposal/
rated per year Energy
recovery uses or material discarded waste(excluding export
recovery dataor other (%)(%)
recovery (%)
and retread)
not available

USA

292

53

33

14

n/a

Year

Sources2005

Estimates based on data from
Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA)

2006

Estimates based on data from European Tyre & Rubber
Manufacturers' Association (ETRMA) Europe(EU 27 plus Norway and Switzerland)

Europe

250

41

43

16

n/a

China

112

n/a

n/a

n/a

100

Japan

80

70

15

15

n/a

2006

Estimates based on data from Japan Automobile Tyre
Manufacturers Association Inc. (JATMA)

Mexico

30

0

90

10

n/a

2004

"Mexico pays cement industry to burn scrap tires"www.ecoamericas.comm/en/story/.aspx?id=569

Brazil

27

69

13

18

n/a

South Korea

23

77

16

7

n/a

2003

Korea Tire Manufacturers Association (KOTMA)

Canada

22

20

75

5

n/a

2003

Pehlken A. and E. Essadiqi, Scrap Tire Recycling in Canada, 2005.

Australia

20

22

8

70

n/a

2006

URS, Market Failure in End-of-life Tyre Disposal, report for the
Department of Environment and Heritage, September 2006

Malaysia

14

n/a

n/a

n/a

100

South Africa

12

n/a

n/a

n/a

100

2003

Iran

10

n/a

n/a

n/a

100

2006

Iran daily newspaper online(/www.iran-daily.com/1385/2586/html/focus.htm)

2003

Ministry of the Environment, Israel "Waste Tires : A Case Study",
Environmental e-bulletin September 2003, Issue 2(see also www.sviva.gov.il)

Israel

7

n/a

n/a

n/a

100

New Zealand

4

0

15

85

n/a

Various newspaper articles including Recycling Today andHong Kong Trade Development Council

Associação Nacional da Indústria de Pneumáticos (ANIP),
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE)(see also www.environment.gov.au/settlements/waste/tyres/index.html).

What to do with old tires? Lim J.
"Fixing a Tyred Environment", Die Burger, 6 April 2003

Estimates taken from "Product Stewardship Case Study for Endof-Life-Tyres" by URS for the Ministry of the Environment (NZ) 2006

For USA, Europe and Japan, ELTs destined for export and/or retread are excluded from the volume of ELTs generated per year.

4Facts andtrendsIn Europe, the End-of-Life Vehicle Directive sets targetsof 95% recovery/reuse of vehicles by 2015. Because of
the high value relative to recovery cost, many European
countries are already achieving recovery rates of 75 to
84%. Scrap metal tends to be recovered most often.
Vehicle manufacturers are also encouraged to fulfill theirtire recycling obligations according to these targets. In
2007, the European Commission adopted the Report on
the Implementation of Directive 2000/53/EC on End-OfLife Vehicles for the period 2002-2005 (www.ec.europa.eu/
environment/waste/elv_index.htm).

How does the end-of-life tire recovery ratecompare with other goods?
Waste generation in the EU is estimated to stand atover 1.43 billion tons per year and is increasing at rates
comparable to those of economic growth. ELTs make up
about 0.2% of this waste (ETRMA Annual Report 2007).
Recycling and recovery rates for ELTs are generally far higher
than for most other consumer goods.

Table 1: ELT recovery rate compared with other goods

Recyclingrate
Europe (%)

Material

Recycling Recycling
rate
rate
US (%)
Japan (%)

Tires

84

1

86

2

85

3

Glass

65

4

22

5

90

6

99

8

_

Steel containers

63 9

63 10

87.5 11

Aluminum
beverage cans

52 12

52 13

92 14

PET bottles

39 15

24 16

66 17

“For over ten years, we have been committed to setting up
a structured, efficient management system for ELTs.
In Western Europe, recovery rates increased from 65%
in 2001 to almost 90% in 2005. There are increasingly
numerous applications for recovered tires: in some countries
where we did not know what to do with ELT a few years
ago, now we do not have enough to meet the demand of
the reprocessors.”

Paper/cardboard

6418

5019

6620

Serge Palard, Chairman and CEO of Aliapur

Car batteries

90 (UK)

7

Recovery rates for tires are estimated on the basis of ELTs generated
excluding ELTs destined for export and retreat

5ELT uses

End-of-life tire uses: Numerous possibilities,
existing and under development
Why use end-of-life tires and for what purposes?
ELTs can be a low-cost source of fuel when located near

Figure 4: Current uses for ELTsa major fuel consumer, such as a power plant or cement
Alternative fuel (mainly for cementkilns, paper/pulp mills, thermal
power stations, industrial boilers, etc.)

factory. They can also be readily processed for a diverse
range of construction projects. Substituting ELTs in place of
new raw materials reduces associated environmental andeconomic costs, such as:• Exploration and mining for fossil fuels and other virgin raw

Energyrecoverymaterials, and the associated land-use impact• Transportation requirements (as tires are usually plentiful

Substitute for coal in steel plants(for example, electric arc furnaces
are an emerging use)everywhere)• Most or all processing requirements for many applications(as tires can often be used whole or shredded).

Construction material

1) Energy recovery
Tire derived fuel (TDF), one of the leading options for ELTs,

Material
recoveryis mainly used in cement kilns, but also in thermal power
stations, pulp and paper mills, steel mills and industrial

Crumb or ground rubber applications(including molded products whencombined with thermoplastics)

boilers. In Europe, the cement sector is the main use of TDF.
Kilns are increasingly being equipped to use ELTs as
supplementary fuel and still be in compliance with the 2008
atmospheric emission standards. Tires have a high energy
content and are an equal or better source of energy thanmany other solid fuels. This, alongside rising energy costs
and increased environmental awareness in recent years,
has led to an increase in use of TDF. The infrastructure
exists, and with sufficient support and recognition of TDF
as a viable alternative, the development of the industry has

Factors affecting the use of ELTs include:n The ELT recovery and management structure in placen Standards and restrictions on ELT use and disposaln Infrastructure available to allow reusen Reliability of supply
n Transport needs and cost

significant potential. TDF is currently the biggest use for ELTs
in the US and Japan, and energy recovery is about equal tomaterial recovery in Western Europe and the US.
Sources: European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association, Rubber Manufacturers
Association and Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association Inc.

Table 2: ELT usage as tire derived fuel (TDF)

6

Total ELTs
(excluding
export andretread)TDF usage

Facilities with TDF utilization

Europe

250 million

41% (2006)

Cement kilns

Japan

80 million

70% (2006)

Cement kilns, paper mills, tire factories

US

292 million

53% (2005)

Cement kilns, paper/pulp mills, boilers

ELT uses

Total ELTs
(excluding
export andretread)TDF usage

Facilities with TDF utilization

Europe

250 million

41% (2006)

Cement kilns

Japan

80 million

70% (2006)

Cement kilns, paper mills, tire factories

US

292 million

53% (2005)

Cement kilns, paper/pulp mills, boilers

Tires sent for co-processing in a cement plant where both fuel value and materials are recovered

Table 3: Tire company furnaces fueled by TDF in Japan

Sources: Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association Inc. (JATMA)

Company

Factory

Incinerator type

PurposeBridgestone Corp.

Tochigi plant
Amagi plant

Fluidized-bed incinerator
Grate incinerator

Power generation
Heat source for boiler

Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.

Mie plant

Grate incinerator

Heat source for boiler

Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.

Nagoya plant
Shirakawa plantMiyazaki plant

Grate incinerator
Pyrolysis incinerator
Grate incinerator

Cogeneration
Heat source for boiler
Heat source for boiler

Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.

Sendai plant
Kuwana plant

Grate incinerator
Grate incinerator

Cogeneration
Heat source for boiler

7

ELT uses

The advantages of TDF

n Lower cost

Tires have a high energy content and TDF is an equal or

The cost of TDF is significantly lower than that of 		better source of energy than other fuels:

fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal and petroleum
coke, especially when exploration, development andTable 4: Energy content and CO2 emissions from fuels
Source: Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative, WBCSD CSI CO2 Emissions Inventory
Protocol, Version 2.0

FuelEnergy(Gigajoule/tonne)

transport costs of virgin materials are taken into
account.
Provided that quality and supply can be maintained,

Emissionsusers can incorporate TDF into long-term planning
kgCO2 /tonne

kgCO 2 /Gigajoulesuch that significant economic advantages can beobtained. Tires are frequently a low-cost fuel source

Tires

32.0

2,270

85

for cement factories. Weight and volume limit

Coal

27.0

2,430

90

transport distance and availability.

Pet coke

32.4

3,240

100

Diesel oil

46.0

3,220

70

Natural gas

39.0

1,989

51

Wood

10.2

1,122

110

‘‘TDF can be used successfully as a 10-20% supplementary
fuel in properly designed fuel combustors with good
combustion control and add-on particulate controls, suchas electrostatic precipitators, or fabric filters. Furthermore,
a dedicated tire-to-energy facility specifically designed
to burn TDF as its only fuel has been demonstrated toachieve emission rates much lower than most solid fuelcombustors.”

Cement kilns are able to use either whole or shredded
tires. For other uses of TDF, such as in pulp and paper
mills, the steel belts often need to be removed to allow
the ash waste to be resold. However, even then, therecycled steel is a valuable by-product.
TDF can be a good use for stockpiles of contaminatedtires covered in dirt and water. These tires cannot
generally be used for ground rubber and so TDF or
construction projects are better options.

EPA Research Paper, Air Emissions from Scrap Tire Combustion, 1997n Reduced emissions

TDF emissions, when tires are burned in a controlledenvironment, are no greater than those produced byother fuels. The carbon content per unit of energy is 		
less than coal and petroleum coke, offering potential
reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In some 		situations, using TDF instead of virgin fossil fuels
reduces nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide and carbon dioxide
emissions. Natural rubber content in tires (25% or more)is regarded as carbon neutral, as rubber plantations 		
sequester carbon from the atmosphere during their life
time. Any ash created generally contains fewer heavy
metals than ash from coal combustion. In cement kilns
the rubber provides energy and the iron and sulfur areincorporated into the cement. (Iron is normally added
to the cement-making process; sulfur is absorbed andconverted to sulfates.)
8

Caption: Scrap tire incineration power generation
system at Bridgestone Tochigi plant in Japan.

ELT uses

2) Material recoveryn Ground rubber

It is likely that ground rubber use will expand withn Civil engineering uses

further research and development. For example, methods

Whole or shredded tires are successfully used in a varietyof blending recycled rubber with polymers to createof civil engineering projects such as embankments,

molded goods are improving, as are techniques to 		

backfill for walls, road insulation, field drains, erosion

improve rubber use in asphalt in varied climates.

control/rainwater runoff barriers, wetlands and marsh

Asphalt pavements made with ELTs are in common use

establishment, crash barriers and jetty bumpers. Tires

in the developed world and beneficial properties include

are excellent materials for such uses because they are

longer life spans and reduced noise. In the US, groundlightweight, permeable, good insulators, shock

rubber is blended with asphalt to favorably modify theabsorbent, noise absorbent and durable.

properties of the asphalt. This market has expanded in
the US and Europe, and is anticipated to grow in theAnti-scree wall in the Hautes Alpes, France
Source: Aliapur, DR

Artificial turf on playing field, France
Source: Michelin

ELTs can also be converted into ground or crumb rubber

future. For example, several Canadian provinces are 		that can then be used for rubber-modified asphalt

conducting research that could lead to further(resulting in reduced traffic noise), running tracks, sports

expansion of this market.

fields, ground cover under playgrounds, molded rubber
products, and mulch in landscape applications. Ground

The Japan Asphalt Rubber Research Group has led

rubber is produced either by ambient grinding or

research and development into rubber-modified asphalt.

cryogenic (freeze) grinding, the latter producing finer

Trial pavements have been laid showing ELTs to be an

particles by using liquid nitrogen to cool the tires before

effective recycling technology and an environmentallyprocessing.

friendly, cost-effective pavement material. Growth in thisindustry is projected.
In most uses, tires present a low pollution risk. When
compared with other alternative materials, using ELTs
can help minimize a project’s environmental impact. In
some cases leaching may possibly occur; however this is
not reported as a widespread problem.
9

ELT uses

3) Other innovative and emerging
uses for end-of-life tires
Other innovative uses for ELTs are emerging as moren Devulcanization

research and development is carried out in this area. The

Devulcanization (the process of breaking down and 		

following technologies are in development or already usedrecycling rubber) methods include thermal, mechanical,

in special circumstances.

ultrasound and bacterial, and it can be used to maken Electric arc furnaces

molded rubber products from ELTs. Althoughdevulcanization is usually cost prohibitive, some

Steelworks equipped with electric arc furnaces provide

applications have been developed and research

an almost closed loop recycling possibility for ELTs.

is continuing.

The method involves applying a quantity of scrap metal
into an electric arc furnace, followed by a quantity of tiresn Pyrolysis(shredded or whole), to convert carbon monoxide 		

Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of organic

gas to carbon dioxide in the furnace. In the US, aboutmaterial in the absence of air, and is a potential way

1.3 million ELTs are used in this way per year, and a 		of generating materials from tires. Limited pyrolysis

market also exists in Japan. More recently this application

facilities currently exist and large-scale development is

has been validated for industrial use in Belgium, France

not currently economically viable.

and Luxembourg, and it has the potential for growth inEurope.

ELTs being shredded for reuse

10Managing
ELTs

Management systems for collecting
and recovering end-of-life tires
End-of-life tire management approaches vary. Three

provinces. Nigeria and Turkey have also begun stewardshipmain frameworks, or combinations, are usually used.

systems and Russia is currently considering proposals.

1) Tire industry responsibility2) Government/community responsibility

Tire manufacturers (often in collaboration with distributors

Specific taxes are levied on tire sales, or taxpayer-funded

and retailers) take responsibility under stewardship systems

systems operate using general tax revenue. Governments

for the recovery and recycling or disposal of ELTs, andhave often taken a direct role in cleanup programs. In thefinance these according to the number of units sold within

US, many states have active programs to clean up existingthat country. Such systems are typically administered by astockpiles and eliminate the creation of new ones.

not-for-profit body. Most often a separate fee is charged atGovernment-administered bodies responsible for ELTs havethe time of original sale, which increases public awarenessbeen established in the half of the Canadian provinces notof the program and funds the activities.

covered by stewardship systems. Industry and otherstakeholders are frequently involved.

In some regions tire manufacturers have promoted ELTs asa resource and consequently have proactively pursued

Croatia, Denmark, Latvia and the Slovak Republic also haveproducer-responsibility systems. Most countries in Europe

tax-funded systems.

now have these systems, accounting for over 50% ofEuropean ELT volume. ELT management companies

3) Free market approachorganize collection and recovery, participate in research and

ELT enterprises operate independently. Where suitabledevelopment activities for new recovery routes, liaise with

infrastructure exists, these companies can arrange recycling

local authorities, comply with reporting obligations andand recovery of ELTs with commercial benefits. Austria,

promote the introduction of product standards. In addition,

Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United

the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association

Kingdom and the US operate on free market principles. Such(ETRMA) has established “The Used Tyres Group“ tocountries usually have laws regarding the transportation, use,

promote the principle of ELTs as a resource and to propose

disposal and storage of ELTs. Tire manufacturers and others

regulations and directives for their proper management.

involved in the industry voluntarily participate in systems.

In Japan, based on “The Fundamental Law for Establishing a

In the US, tire manufacturers work together through theSound Material-Cycle Society“, the Japan Automobile Tyre

Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (RMA) to promote

Manufacturers Association Inc. (JATMA) promotes the 3Rs –responsible management of ELTs and to develop markets for

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – with its committees to

ELTs.

coordinate ELT collection and recovery, and to encourage
further research and development. JATMA has also

In addition, technical assistance is provided to prospective

implemented a program for the removal of illegal legacy

users of ELTs to assist in getting necessary government

stockpile sites.

approvals and to help new users get started.

In Korea manufacturers and importers pay a deposit feethat is refunded if they collect the ELTs. Brazil requires
importers to demonstrate the disposal of 20% more tires
per annum than they import. Stewardship systems (oftenwith government environment agency involvement) also
exist in South Africa and about half of the Canadian11

Managing
ELTs
Landfill and waste piles

The problems with landfilling and waste piles of ELTs are

Most, but not all, developed countries now view landfills

three-fold:(waste piles and dumps) as the least desirable option for ELTs.
Tires are banned from landfills in the European Union. Elevenstates in the US place a total ban; a further 31 states haverestrictions requiring shredding or monofilling. Three
Canadian provinces ban landfilling. Many other jurisdictions
have set non-binding goals to reduce or eliminate landfilling,
especially of whole tires.

1. Valuable resources are unused and therefore wasted 		
when in stockpiles.
2. Tires may catch fire and such fires are notoriously difficultand costly to extinguish. In California, US$ 20 million
was spent on the recently completed cleanup of the 1999
Westley tire fire when seven million tires burned. In 1990,

In some situations, if municipal landfills are taxpayer-funded,

14 million tires burned in one of the biggest fires everand recycling taxes do not exist, then landfill fees can be lessrecorded, in Hagersville, Ontario.

than recyclers’ collection fees, for example in some parts ofAustralia. This provides a further incentive to recycle rather
than landfill ELTs.
Legacy stockpiles of ELTs present different issues to annually

3. In certain climates, stockpiles are ideal breeding grounds
for mosquitoes. This can pose significant health risks asfatal diseases such as West Nile fever, dengue fever andmalaria have been linked to such breeding grounds.

generated ELTs, and therefore require different management
practices. While owners sometimes consider an ELTFire and infestation risks can largely be overcome (at extra

stockpile to be an asset, they are also liabilities, due to thecost) if tires are shredded and/or buried. However, by doing

potential for fire and infestation (for example from disease-this, potentially valuable usable resources still become

carrying mosquitoes). Stockpiled tires tend to remain in place

unnecessary waste. Additionally, buried whole tires can often

until a government-initiated abatement program orrise to the surface or “float” and reduce the future usability

enforcement efforts can be implemented.

of a site.

Another major issue in managing ELT stockpiles is developing
stockpiles. This is called stockpile mapping and has been

End-of-life tire management
in developing regions

undertaken in the US for example using satellite imagery.

While high recycling/recovery rates are achieved in majoran accurate assessment of the actual number of ELTs indeveloped economies, the same is not true for manyn In the US, since 1994, ELT management programs in many

developing economies where land-use and disposal

states have focused on stockpile prevention and abatement.

regulations are weak and infrastructure for collection is

An estimated 188 million tires were in stock piles across themissing. In addition to domestic stocks, many areas also

US in 2005, compared with 275 million tires in 2004 andreceive imported ELTs that add further to already problematic

700-800 million tires in 1994.

stockpiles of ELTs from local sources. South Africa is currently

n In Japan, a national support program for stockpile site 		

faced with an estimated 800 million tires in piles in therestoration was established as part of strengthened illegal

Western Cape region. In Mexico the number of tires is

dumping measures in the 1998 revision of the Waste 		thought to be around 1-2 billion.

Management Law: 7.4 million tires were in stockpiles in
February 2007, compared with 8.6 million tires in

Most industry organizations in developed countries have ELT

February 2006.

programs. Transferring expertise and know-how from thesen Some Nordic countries, where producer responsibility

bodies to the developing world is key to encouraging bettersystems have been operating for over 10 years, have

ELT management. Brazil has been particularly strong inrecovery rates of 100% and stockpiles have beenassessing and working with ELT issues, and recent data shows

eliminated. Other European countries are implementing

a 40% recovery rate there.

programs to eliminate existing stockpiles (e.g., France 		through public-private cooperation).

12

FutureoutlookWhat is the future outlook?
ELTs offer a significant opportunity for achieving sustainable development objectives. Widespread use
in energy and material recovery applications is well-established as an alternative to virgin raw materials.
The positive environmental impacts of using ELTs as a resource are significant, mostly derived from theaccompanying reduction in virgin resource exploitation. Using ELT material in some products can also
improve the properties of that end product.
Various efforts are currently underway in many countries where different legal systems exist to reduce thenumber of tires in landfills and waste piles and to find innovative, environmentally friendly uses for ELTs.
Tire manufacturer programs play a key role in the development of ELT markets, as do government
regulations, business norms, and standards. ELTs should be considered as a resource and not labeled
as a waste. The involvement of tire companies, ELT management companies, scientific laboratories,
government regulators and industrial partners is necessary in research and development programs to findnew, effective and environmentally sound uses for ELTs.

Kwang Liak, TEO

13

Usefulresources

Useful resources
Australia
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts:
www.environment.gov.au/settlements/waste/tyres/index.html

Basel Convention
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movementsof Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (including draft technicalguidelines on the management of ELTs):www.basel.int/techmatters/index.html

CanadaCanadian Association of Tire Recycling Agencies: www.catraonline.ca
The Rubber Association of Canada (including links to Canadianprovincial sites):www.rubberassociation.ca/rubber_recycling.html

EuropeEuropean Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (including links
to individual country organizations): www.etrma.org
European ELT management companies:• Aliapur www.aliapur.com• Centrum Utylizacji Opon www.utylizacjaopon.pl• Eco Anvelope www.ecoanvelope.ro• Eco Elastika www.ecoelastika.gr• Eesti Rehviliit www.rehviliit.ee• Hurec www.hurec.hu• Norsk Dekkretur AS www.dekkretur.no• Recytyre www.recytyre.be• ReysBERN www.recybem.nl• Signus www.signus.es• Suomen Rengaskierrätys Oy www.rengaskierratys.com• Valorpneu www.valorpneu.pt

Japan
The Japan Tyre Manufacturers Association Inc.: www.jatma.or.jp

New ZealandFinal Report for the Ministry for the Environment, July 2004:
www.mfe.govt.nz/publications
Ministry for the Environment:
www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/waste/special/tyres/index.html

South Africa
South African Tyre Recycling Process Company (SATRP Co):
www.rubbersa.com

South Korea
Korea Tire Manufacturers Association: www.kotma.or.kr

Tire Industry Group Project, WBCSD
www.wbcsd.org/web/tires

USA
Rubber Manufacturers Association: www.rma.org
US Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov/garbage/tires

Notes
Estimates based on data from European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA), 2006.
Estimates based on data from Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), 2005.
3
Estimates based on data from the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association Inc. (JATMA), 2006.
4
Figures for 2005. OECD Environmental Data, 2007.
5
Ibid.
6
Ibid.
7
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/may/05/qanda.recycling
8
EPA Municipal and Solid Waste Generation Facts and Figures for 2006, p3, 2006. See also www.batterycouncil.org.
9Worldwide figure, Steel Recycling Institute, 2006.
10
Ibid.
11
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan, 2003.
12
Figures for 2005. EU 25 and EFTA, Sustainability Report 2006, European Aluminium Association, p26. Higher rates have been achieved in some individual countries,e.g., 93% in Norway, 88% in Finland, Switzerland (www.world-aluminium.org).
13
Figures for 2006. Aluminium Association Inc. as reported in 2006 Minerals Yearbook, US Department of the Interior (section 5.1). The EPA indicates 45% for aluminium cans 		
(www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/recycle.htm#figures).
14
Global Aluminium Recycling committee report (www.world-aluminium.org).
15
Petcore, 2006.
16
Napcor Report, 2006. The US EPA indicates 31% for plastic soft drink bottles (www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/recycle.htm#figures).
17
Council for PET Bottle Recycling, Japan, 2006.
18
Figures for 2005. OECD Environmental Data, 2007.
19
Ibid.
20
Figure for 2003. OECD Environmental Data, 2007.
1
2

14

Usefulresources

This brochure was produced by member companies of the WBCSD Tire Industry Project

More information on tires can be found atwww.wbcsd.org/web/tires or from tires@wbcsd.org

About the WBCSD

Our objectives include:

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development

Business Leadership – to be a leading business advocate on(WBCSD) brings together some 200 internationalsustainable development;

companies in a shared commitment to sustainable

Policy Development – to help develop policies that create

development through economic growth, ecological balanceand social progress. Our members are drawn from morethan 30 countries and 20 major industrial sectors. We also
benefit from a global network of about 60 national andregional business councils and partner organizations.

framework conditions for the business contribution tosustainable development;
The Business Case – to develop and promote the businesscase for sustainable development;
Best Practice – to demonstrate the business contribution to

Our mission is to provide business leadership as a catalyst forsustainable development and share best practices amongchange toward sustainable development, and to support themembers;business license to operate, innovate and grow in a world

Global Outreach – to contribute to a sustainable future forincreasingly shaped by sustainable development issues.

developing nations and nations in transition.

15

www.wbcsd.org/web/tires

Secretariat
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