Tire Recycling As A Global Solution For ELTs: Spotlight On British Columbia

With around one billion end-of-life tires (ELTs) generated globally each year, responsible tire recycling needs to be a priority worldwide in addition to here at home. This is why the Recycled Rubber Coalition applauds innovative efforts abroad to achieve higher recycling rates and expand the lifecycle of these tires. For example, in British Columbia, Tire Stewardship BC (TSBC), an agency working to ensure ELTs are recycled, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their effective and efficient tire recycling program.

TSBC is the oldest ELT recycling program in Canada, having recycled over 100 million tires since its establishment in 1991. While the COVID-19 crisis delayed their 30th anniversary celebration plans, the agency is prepared to commemorate this milestone by partnering with community organizations on recycling and environmental sustainability events. In addition, the agency will be participating in a series of tire collection events to be held throughout the province over the course of the year. These events are designed to be accessible to the communities of British Columbia so that residents can easily deposit their ELTs and have them donated to recycling companies, like TSBC’s long-standing partners at Liberty Tire Recycling.

TSBC will also be providing grants to local organizations who use recycled rubber in projects, having already awarded $5 million in grants to date. TSBC grants can go toward a variety of projects, showcasing the numerous applications for recycled rubber in communities, such as rubber surfacing for playgrounds, water parks, fitness areas, walkways, running tracks, and playing fields. 

Organizations like TSBC are critical to ensuring that ELTs reach an end-use market where they can be recycled into innovative products that have proven benefits for accessibility, safety, and the environment. When the tire industry, recycling organizations, tire recyclers, and end-use buyers all work together to encourage and facilitate recycling, ELTs come even closer to circularity.

Learn more about Tire Stewardship BC on their website.