2000 a bright year for scrap tire recovery

WASHINGTON (Dec. 28)—The year 2000 proved to be a satisfactory one for the scrap tire recovery sector as three major markets—tire-derived fuel, crumb rubber and civil engineering applications—all posted modest growth. That trend is expected to continue for 2001, according to Michael Blumenthal, executive director of the Scrap Tire Management Council. The U.S. generated approximately 276 million scrap tires in 2000, 70 percent of which went toward an end use instead of into landfills or dumps. The recall of 6.5 million Firestone tires, undoubtedly the most significant event in the tire industry in 2000, was a non-issue in most parts of the country, except for states that had not developed scrap tire markets, Blumenthal said.