WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 28, 2005) — Improving ways of putting old tires to new uses will be the subject of a conference and several workshops sponsored by the tire industry as well as local, state, and federal environmental officials this spring in Little Rock, Ark.
The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) jointly will host the 4th Southeastern Regional Scrap Tire Management Conference, May 12–13 at the Doubletree Hotel in downtown Little Rock.
The conference will focus on scrap tire issues in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Presentations will be given on regulatory and legislative programs within the participating states, as well as the major markets for scrap tires: rubber modified asphalt, civil engineering, coarse rubber and tire-derived fuel (TDF). The RMA and Arkansas DEQ will host a one-day workshop on TDF.
The Automobile Recyclers Association, a first-time participant, also will conduct a workshop for its members during the scrap tire conference. The auto salvage industry handles about 20 percent of the annually generated scrap tires in the U.S., according to the RMA.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Resource Conservation Challenge Scrap Tire Group will meet to discuss several topics and develop work plans related to scrap tire markets. Those plans will be presented May 12.
“This is an extended region with considerable demand for scrap tires, yet there remain sections that need additional markets and scrap tire infrastructure. Our goal for this conference will be to improve the movement of scrap tires and increase market demand for tire-derived products,” said Michael Blumenthal, senior technical director of the RMA.
“We are glad to be working with the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. They are very supportive of this process and are working to improve the scrap tire situation in the region through the promotion of sound business practices and helping the market infrastructure of the scrap tire industry.”
Co-sponsors of the event include the 10 Arkansas Waste Tire Management Districts and the Arkansas Independent Tire Dealers Association.