USTMA Members share the goal that all end-of-life tires enter sustainable and circular end-use markets
Tires are one of the most recycled and reclaimed products in the U.S. The management of end-of-life (ELT) tires has been a priority for USTMA members for almost three decades. USTMA works with stakeholders, including states, the U.S. EPA and the industry, to incentivize market development and advance federal and state regulations that foster sustainable tire recycling markets. According to our 2023 ELT Management Report, approximately 79% of ELTs currently go to tire recycling and reclaiming markets.
How Do Recycled Tires Stack up to Other Recycled Material Rates?
94 million tons
- Lead acid batteries: 99% (Battery Council International 2023)
- Tires: 79% (USTMA 2023)
- Paper: 68% recovery rate (AF&PA 2022)
- Aluminum cans: 45% (Aluminum Association 2021)
- Glass bottles: 33% (Glass Packaging Institute 2023)
Plastic (PET) bottles: 29% (NAPCOR 2022)
Building a Sustainable Future for America’s Tires
At USTMA, sustainability is at the core of everything we do. As part of our commitment to environmental stewardship, we invest heavily in supporting tire recycling initiatives to ensure that the millions of tires reaching the end of their life cycle each year are put to good use, protecting both our communities and the planet.
The Tire Recycling Foundation: Championing Tire Circularity
In May 2024, during its ninth Tire Recycling Conference, USTMA, in partnership with the Tire Industry Association (TIA), announced the formation of the Tire Recycling Foundation. This new initiative will secure funding and allocate grants for research, education, intervention and demonstration projects targeting critical knowledge and research gaps within the U.S. tire recycling supply chain. The Tire Recycling Foundation’s primary goal is to recycle 100% of end-of-life tires into circular, sustainable markets. The Foundation Board has set ambitious research initiatives to be supported with fundraising targets of $300,000 in 2025 and $2-3 million in 2026.
Supporting Sustainable End-Use Markets
The USTMA supports investing in sustainable tire recycling solutions like rubber-modified asphalt (RMA) and tire-derived aggregate (TDA) for sustainable infrastructure projects. With more than 250 million end-of-life tires generated annually in the U.S., tires remain one of the most recycled products, but the need remains to grow end-use markets to prevent stockpiles and illegal dumping.
Potential RMA and TDA hold great potential, thanks to investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. USTMA has urged the federal government to use RMA in federal projects and to fund research on its benefits. Made from recycled tires, RMA extends pavement life, reduces maintenance costs, cuts CO2 emissions by 32% and offers performance benefits like increased skid resistance, reduced tire wear, lower road noise and less road spray in wet conditions.
USTMA has also called on Congress to fund research and demonstration projects using TDA in construction projects. TDA, made from large shreds of used tires, is a cost-effective infill material for roadside embankments, retaining walls and stormwater infiltration galleries. It offers benefits like reduced costs, improved drainage and reduced metal loading in stormwater, and it effectively mitigates ground vibrations under railroad tracks.
USTMA has urged Congress to designate rubber-modified asphalt (RMA) as a preferred material for federal road projects and to fund research on its benefits. Early findings show that RMA can reduce environmental impact. Additionally, RMA is cost-effective, extends pavement life, and reduces or delays maintenance, leading to significant savings when analyzed with life cycle cost techniques.
USTMA has called on Congress to fund research and demonstration projects using TDA in federal, state and local construction projects. TDA (large shreds of scrap tires) can be used as cost-effective infill material for roadside embankments, retaining walls and stormwater infiltration galleries. The use of TDA realizes significant benefits, including reducing costs compared to traditional mined construction materials and improved drainage in stormwater infiltration galleries. Studies show TDA use in infiltration galleries can also reduce metals loading in stormwater.
USTMA promotes domestic manufacturing and use of retreaded tires for commercial vehicles to enhance sustainability and grow American jobs. Commercial tire retreading provides a highly effective way to recycle tires with many additional notable economic and environmental benefits. In addition to job creation, retreading reduces energy consumption, CO2 emissions, raw material usage and tire disposal challenges. Congress has an opportunity to increase domestic retreaded tire demand by requiring use of these tires in the federal fleet.
Reducing Tire Stockpiles & Increasing Recycling Rates
For decades, USTMA has promoted tire recycling legislation to prevent environmental issues from end-of-life tires. Its members support strong state programs to deter illegal dumping and reduce stockpiles and have prioritized managing ELT tires, which has reduced illegal and abandoned stockpiles from more than 1 billion in 1990 to less than 48 million nationwide in 2023—an over 95% reduction. The tire recycling rate has also increased from 11% in 1990 to 79% in 2023, making tires one of the most recycled products in the U.S.
USTMA works with stakeholders to expand sustainable tire recycling markets. Despite 79% of tires being recycled, the generation of end-of-life tires continues to outpace recycling, underscoring the need for further market development.
ELT to clean up in 1991
Tires to clean up in 2023
States with < 1M ELTs remaining