Rubber products are a staple in our lives because of how versatile, durable and cost-effective they are. They provide even more benefits in their second life once recycled, helping communities lower their carbon footprint and reduce waste. But too few policymakers understand the advantages of recycled rubber, let alone actively promote its use.
This lack of awareness has consequential impacts on public health. Discarded tires—whether in regular landfills or illicit dumps—are breeding grounds for mosquitos, rats and diseases carried by these pests, creating serious health hazards for communities across the U.S. In the 1980s, USTMA estimated that more than a billion end-of-life tires (ELTs) were being housed in stockpiles across the U.S. Recognizing the environmental and public health effects of illegal tire dumping, the U.S. government began a serious push in the 1990s to clean up these hundreds of millions of illegally scrapped tires, according to the EPA. Working with federal, state and local governments, rubber recycling helped to clean up over 95% of stockpiled scrap tires. Recently, the U.S. has lost its edge in global tire recycling, risking the consequences that come with the dangerous stockpiles. In 2013, the U.S. led the world with 96% of ELTs either being recycled or going to other secondary uses. Since then, America’s recycling rate has seen a steady decline, falling below Europe's in 2019 (the most recent year data is available for both Europe and the U.S.), with Europe recycling 91% compared to America's 76%.
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