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29 December 2008
2008 Rubber Recycling Symposium
Rubber Recycling Appraises Risks & Rewards
From trends, pitfalls, and innovation to risk management and opportunity, industry leaders offered comprehensive insight into every segment of the rubber recycling industry.
On October 29-31, 2008, presenters, exhibitors, and delegates descended on Vancouver B.C. for the 8th biennial Rubber Recycling Symposium, hosted by the Rubber Association of Canada (RAC) and the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA). The theme, “Risk & Reward,” brought together panels of experts for informative presentation on topical issues that directly affect the rubber recycling industry.
Mike Hennessy de la Tire Stewardship B.C.
A global overview
The Symposium commenced with a global overview on the issues and trends that affect rubber recycling. John Scott, chair of the Canadian Association of Tire Recycling Agencies (CATRA), outlined key industry challenges: geography and critical mass, fragmented jurisdictional management, lack of national harmonization, stockpiles, rising costs, unstable markets, regulated end-use restrictions, public perceptions and misinformation, and of course, markets. Tom Wood from the RMA gave a similar overview of the U.S. scrap tire market, and Lars Aman reported on the scrap tire industry in the European Union. The issue, as it is in North America, is finding economically viable solutions while respecting the environment and saving natural resources.
Risk management
Mike Blumenthal, vice president of the RMA, addressed the issue of risk management through sound business practices and public relations. Ignore the public at your peril, Blumenthal warns. Mitigate risk and realize rewards through real cost accounting, staying ahead of the competition, maintaining operational efficiencies, and diversifying your market base.
 Ontario stewardship program
Glenda Gies, director of Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO), reported on the Ontario Scrap Tire Plan. Waste Diversion Ontario is developing a province-wide tire-recycling program. Ontario is currently the only Canadian province that does not have a tire stewardship program. In the WDO’s proposed funding model, brand owners and manufacturers will pay the fees.
Jerome Paris, RRFB Nova Scotia; Glenda Melvin, Multi-Materials Stewardship Board, Newfoundland and Labrador; Michael Blumenthal, Rubber Manufacturers Association; Rosemary Sutton, Tire Stewardship B.C.; Ralph Warner, ACIC; Glenn Maidment, ACIC; Mike Hennessy, Tire Stewardship B.C.
Rubberized asphalt
High Chapman of the Seneca Petroleum Company emphasized the benefits of rubberized asphalt. It can extend the life of roadways, increases stability and rut resistance, and reduce reflective and thermal cracking. Rob Ostrikoff of the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure described a number of successful projects in which rubber modified asphalt was used on B.C. roads.
The panel’s third speaker, Cliff Ashcroft of the Rubber Pavement Association, discussed barriers to the use of rubberized asphalt, which include market confusion on rubber materials, poor or no quality control, no standard specifications, no change or an unwillingness to change mix designs, and misperception about cold weather performance. The potential benefits are many. Open and pervious mixes provide greater splash and spray reduction, rubberized asphalt offers noise reduction, and the cost savings are real.
Playground and sports surfaces
The use of rubber for playground and infill sports surfacing was also addressed. Henry Helps of Everyplay Installations highlighting the importance of meeting performance standards, since failure to meet them can result in life threatening or debilitating injuries, and there are liability issues.
Douglas Wournell of Principal – Athletica Sport & Recreation Design, and Darren Gill of Fieldturf Tarkett, discussed the benefits of recycled rubber in synthetic turf. It is cost efficient, long lasting, and shock absorbing. The industry creates employment, and it recycles massive amount of tires. However, the industry has been hit hard by anti-turf messaging despite the fact that the levels of toxicity have been found to be safe.
Tire-derived fuel
TDF is used in most cement kilns and some power plants and paper mills. The risks are minimal and the rewards are many: manufacturing savings, a waste resource used constructively, and fossil fuels conserved. Tracey Norberg, senior vice president of the RMA, reported on TDF and the Clean Air Act, which could profoundly impact the market and businesses that rely on it. Norberg states that if TDF users were to discontinue TDF use, other scrap tire markets would not have the capacity to absorb the flow.
Economics of the scrap tire market
Mike Roberge, president of the Western Rubber Group, had four pieces of advice for those in the crumb rubber business: develop markets close to home, since home grown markets reduce freight and fuel costs; gain support from tire generators; expand your market base, and put real effort into distancing yourself from competitors.
Mark Hope of Tire Disposal & Recycling outlined the economics of tire transportation, lining up the pros and cons of using the railroad, barges or ships, drop boxes, pickups, light-duty trucks, box vans, and truck and trailer combinations. He compared primary versus backhaul costs, and the advantages of reducing volume prior to shipment. Among other things, Hope covered dispatch, route development, scheduling, and customer service.
Tire-derived aggregate
Friday morning kicked-off with a panel discussion on the use of tire-derived aggregate (TDA) in civil engineering. Bernie Mills of Jacques Whitford described how TDA was successfully utilized as lightweight fill to reconstruct a highway embankment in New Brunswick.
Brad Schultz of the Alberta Recycling Management Authority spoke about the vast array of projects TDA has been used for in Alberta: highway embankment fill, retaining wall backfill, slope stabilization, vibration mitigation, septic fields, insulation, and landscaping—to name just a few. TDA also has benefits over gravel. According to Shultz, gravel pits destroy landscape, animal habitats, and biological diversity, and they aren’t popular with local residents due to noise, pollution, and safety issues. TDA is lightweight, compact, free-draining, and better than conventional gravel material used on highway embankments. It is also relatively cheap.
In closing
Other Symposium topics included tire recycling in California, new tire technology, off-the-road tire recycling, creating marketable products, and the success of the newly minted Tire Stewardship Board BC. Delegates also had the opportunity to network with industry leaders, browse latest in products and services from selected exhibitors. So mark you calendars, you’ve got plenty of time to plan—the next Rubber Recycling Symposium is in 2010.
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