Waste Tire Stockpile Abatement in New York State: Fid-Bau Portal

Waste Tire Stockpile Abatement in New York State

Floess, Carsten H. / Hasenbein, Howard / Swan, Lisa

An estimated 29 million waste tires are stockpiled in noncompliant sites throughout New York State, presenting adverse environmental impacts, primarily fire and mosquito-transmitted health hazards. Because of these hazards, New York State has developed a program to abate all noncompliant waste tire stockpiles by 2010, with focus on beneficial reuse in Civil Engineering applications. To achieve this ambitious goal, the bulk of these stockpiled waste tires will be cleaned, shredded, and beneficially reused for roadway embankment fill in cooperation with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA). High quality shred are required, with strict limitations on size gradation, cleanliness, and quantity of exposed steel. Although tire shredding is not a new technology, the magnitude of this project, with high production rates and exacting shred standards, is believed to be unprecedented. Abatement of three waste tire sites, totaling nearly 5 million tires, is summarized. These projects demonstrate that it is feasible to process waste tires with available equipment to high standards and at high production rates. Costs varied from about $3 to $8 per Passenger Tire Equivalent (PTE).