&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
April 2005
EPA530-F-05-006
www.epa.gov/osw
Tire-Derived  Fuel  (TDF)
         The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supports the highest and best
      practical use of scrap tires in accordance with the waste management hierarchy, in
      order of preference: reduce, reuse, recycle, waste-to-energy, and disposal in an
      appropriate facility. Disposal of scrap tires in tire piles is not an acceptable manage-
      ment practice because of the risks posed by tire fires, and because tire piles can
      provide habitats for disease vectors, such as mosquitoes.

         In 2003, more than 290 million scrap tires were generated in the U.S. Nearly
      100 million of these tires were recycled into new products and 130 million were
      reused as tire-derived fuel (TDF) in various industrial facilities. TDF is one of several
      viable alternatives to prevent newly generated scrap tires from inappropriate dis-
      posal in tire piles, and for reducing or eliminating existing tire stockpiles.

         Based on over 15 years of experience with more than 80 individual facilities,
      EPA recognizes that the use of tire-derived fuel s is a viable alternative to the use of
      fossil fuels. EPA testing shows that TDF has a higher BTU value than coal. The
      Agency supports the responsible use of tires in port! and cement kilns and other
      industrial facilities, so long as the candidate facilities: (1) have a tire storage and
      handling plan; (2) have secured a permit for all applicable state and federal environ-
      mental programs; and (3) are in compliance with all the requirements of that permit.

         More information on the use of TDF in kilns and boilers i s available on EPA's
      scrap tire web site at: . The web site also contains links to other EPA, state, and industry
      information on the use of TDF.

-------