The Scrap Tire Problem in Rhode Island:
Analysis and Recommendations

Neal Kemkar
Bachelor's of Arts in Environmental Studies
May 2001

The nationwide scrap tire problem, caused by decline of rubber reclamation and tire retreading, has two main components: 2-3 billion tires accumulated in historical piles and 270 million additional tires disposed annually. While Rhode Island has reduced its historical piles to 500,000 tires, 1 million tires are disposed annually. Tire piles present health and fire hazards, but they are classified as municipal solid waste under Resource Conservation Recovery (RCRA) act of 1976. Tires, like other municipal solid wastes, are regulated at the state level. In Rhode Island, RIGL § 23-63 regulates tire storage and recycling. The Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan guides this storage and recycling.

This study explores the scrap tire problem in Rhode Island. It analyses current management techniques for scrap tires. It asks if there are more cost effective and environmentally sound alternatives for management of scrap tires. It analyses the feasibility of those alternatives in Rhode Island and presents barriers to implementing those alternatives that exist in Rhode Island. Moreover, possible policy measures to overcome barriers and incorporate feasible alternatives are discussed.

This study concludes that the state is too dependent on tire combustion, specifically on one plant operated by Oxford Energy Corporation. Further, this study concludes that pursuing more diverse markets for tires will stabilize the long-term tire disposal practices.
An analyses of these markets based on environmental and economic soundness concludes that Rhode Island should pursue in this order: increased reuse and retreading, whole tire and shredded applications and crumb rubber applications in addition to current combustion/energy recovery application. Another market, chemical alteration is not suitable for Rhode Island to pursue. Other disposal options, landfilling and monofilling (single-use storage) should be discouraged due to their negative impacts. Economic and non-economic barriers to entering the suggested markets exist; recommendations based on other states' tire policies are presented and their possible applications in Rhode Island are discussed.

Current state scrap tire laws include (1) funding sources for tire pile remediation; (2) mandates to clean up tire dumps; (3) scrap tire management procedures; (4) market development incentives; and (5) regulations regarding landfilling of tires. Coordination with neighboring states is critical to the successful implementation of these laws. Possible innovative solutions include tradable credits, tax incentives, technology forcing statutes, and the extended producer accountability model. The study concludes that integrating several of these options is the best way to take serious aim at solving the waste tire problem in the State.