| For immediate release May 10, 2006 GOVERNOR BREDESEN ANNOUNCES $4.1 MILLION IN
WASTE TIRE GRANTS Nashville, Tenn. – Governor Phil Bredesen and Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke announced today that the state will provide 89 Waste Tire Grants totaling more than $4.1 million to assist communities with processing waste tires for beneficial reuse in the 2006-2007 fiscal year. “I appreciate the efforts of the state’s local partners who understand the very real environmental benefits of this continued effort to divert waste tires from landfills,” said Governor Bredesen. “And I am pleased the Solid Waste Management Act continues to provide support and funding to local communities for a very important program.” The General Assembly authorized waste tire grants in the Solid Waste Management Act of 1991. Waste tire grants assist counties with the processing and transportation of tires to beneficial end use facilities. Counties are reimbursed $70 per ton of tires and are required to provide one waste tire collection site. Counties may charge an additional fee if the grant is not adequate to cover costs. The grants are supported from the Waste Tire Fund, which receives revenue from a state surcharge on the purchase of new tires. The Waste Tire Fund is administered by the Department of Environment and Conservation, and ninety cents from every dollar collected is used for solid waste grants and services. Tennessee will recycle more than 60,000 tons of tires during fiscal year 2006, diverting waste tires from landfills and sending them to beneficial end use. Beneficial end use methods include utilizing crumb rubber in civil engineering projects, asphalt paving, and molded rubber products, but the majority of Tennessee’s waste tires are used as Tire Derived Fuel (TDF). TDF conserves fossil fuels and provides a waste-to-energy disposal method. The units of energy produced by TDF are comparable to fuels such as coal. According to a 1997 study by the Environmental Protection Agency, TDF used in a well designed and maintained combustion device emits fewer pollutants than conventional fossil fuels. In Tennessee, Bowater Company, Cemex Cement, Gerdau Ameristeel and TVA Allen Steam Plant are among those generating energy and processing waste tires by utilizing TDF. “Tennessee’s tire recycling program provides an environmentally sound disposal method, but the most important step in waste management remains waste reduction,” said Commissioner Fyke. Purchasing longer life tires, rotating and balancing tires every 6,000 miles, and checking air pressure monthly are excellent ways to reduce the number of scrap tires and save money. For more information on Tennessee’s waste tire program, please visit www.tdec.net/swm/tires. ###
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For more information contact: Dana Coleman Tisha Calabrese-Benton
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