An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal, “Protecting Public Health and Unleashing American Energy by Facilitating Scrap Tire Pile Cleanups,” potentially frees up nearly 50 million tires – concentrated at sites in 23 states or tribal lands – for use as a cement kiln fuel. The proposal extends waste management options beyond previous agency measures that have resulted in authorized collection programs now conveying 40 million-plus scrap tires annually to cement plant fuel stocks.
“Abandoned tire piles across the U.S. pose a threat to the health and safety of Americans, but this waste stream can be and should be responsibly and carefully addressed to make America both healthy and energy dominant again,” said EPA Office of Land and Emergency Management Acting Assistant Administrator Thomas Croci. “Our latest proposal provides a commonsense approach to better clean up scrap tires and realize their full potential as fuel.”
A Federal Register notice has opened “Protecting Public Health” to public comment through May 22. Stakeholders can review the notice here and submit comments here.
