TSBC took responsibility for the B.C. Ministry of Environment’s tire recycling program, which operated from 1991 to 2006, “the longest running tire recycling program in Canada,” said Hennessy. TSBC is responsible for operating BC’s scrap tire recycling program in accordance with its Ministry of Environment approved Tire Stewardship Plan and the BC Recycling Regulation. “TSBC is accountable to its stakeholders and the public for the collection, processing, and environmentally sound disposal of all scrap tires designated under the Recycling Regulation,” he said.
“The society is governed by a board comprised of seven directors representing member organizations: Retail Council of Canada, Western Canada Tire Dealers Association, Rubber Association of Canada, and New Car Dealers Association of BC.” He noted that all provinces have a scrap tire recycling program, the latest being Ontario whose program is scheduled to launch on Sep. 1, 2009.
The program works primarily at the retail level with most motorists exchanging old tires for new ones at the time of purchase. Retailers take back one old tire for every new tire sold and arrange for haulers to collect and transport the tires to processors.
Then there is the case of the orphan tire. “Other motorists choose to take their old tires home rather than leave them with the retailer for disposal. Ultimately, these orphan tires end up at a landfill where they are held for collection by haulers,” said Hennessy.
TSBC instituted the Return to Retailer (R2R) program in May, 2008 to allow consumers to return orphan tires to participating retailers instead of landfills. They make it easier for consumers to get orphan tires into the recycling stream, reducing the cost of operating municipal landfills and transfer stations.
TSBC continues to recruit new R2R participants, particularly in the remote regions and the program is completely voluntary. In fact, said Hennessy, there is nothing to prevent First Nation owned gas stations from participating.
He noted while it doesn’t accrue revenue R2R retailers participate to be and to be seen to be “green”, and to attract more potential customers to their establishment. In coming weeks and months the TSBC will be working with other product stewardship agencies regarding recyclables for shipping.
Old tires have a useful purpose, “Over 80 percent of the tires collected are recycled into products, primarily crumb rubber, granules of rubber with the steel and fiber removed.” Crumb is then used to create a variety of products including athletic tracks, synthetic turf fields and golf courses; even asphalt rubber.
Western Rubber Group is the company that coordinates the collection of all the tires in the province. It also uses 80% of them in their crumb processing operation, the only such facility in BC.
