BOWIE, Md.—The Tire Industry Association, in association with its Environmental Action Council, has issued a position paper, “Scrap Tires and Producer Responsibility.”
“The Tire Industry Association promotes and supports a competitive, market-based system to manage the flow of scrap tires and scrap tire material,” begins the statement issued Feb. 12. “This free enterprise system of scrap tire management is highly successful today, with a scrap tire recovery rate approaching 90 percent.”
TIA felt it necessary to issue the position paper now because of legislation in a few states that would shift the responsibility for managing scrap tires to manufacturers, according to TIA Executive Vice President Roy Littlefield. Some of these bills create “tire stewardship” programs that would impede the free flow of scrap tires to selected markets.
“TIA supports a competitive, free-market system that does not interfere with the free flow of scrap tire recyclable materials,” Littlefield said.
One such bill in Connecticut, S.B. No. 869, is opposed by TIA as well as by the Rubber Manufacturers Association and other tire groups. The Connecticut Senate Environment Committee held a hearing on the bill on Feb. 13, TIA said.