Throughout the U.S.-Mexico border region, millions of scrap tires are abandoned in piles causing
environmental and public health concerns. To mitigate the problem, partners from the U.S.-Mexico
Border 2012 Program1 have cleaned up over 4 million scrap tires along the border.
Additionally, to address the problem, the Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural
Resources (SEMARNAT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed the
U.S. - Mexico Border Scrap Tire Integrated Management Initiative2 (Tire Initiative)
in October 2006. The Tire Initiative defines the principles and actions necessary to develop
sustainable scrap tire management plans.
Tire Initiative's
PRINCIPLES
ire Initiative's
ACTIONS
Better understand the problems
contributing to scrap tire generation
Prevent new tire piles
Clean-up "legacy" (existing) tire piles
using environmentally sound and
cost-effective solutions
Involve stakeholders and
communities in creating solutions.
I The Border 2012 Program (Border 2012) is a
results-driven partnership between the United States
and Mexican federal, state, local governments and U.S.
tribes to improve environmental conditions and
protect public health along the 2,000 mile U.S. -
Mexico border, (http://www.epa.gov/border20l2/)
2 U.S.-Mexico Border Scrap Tire Integrated Manage-
ment Initiative (http://www.epa.gov/border20l2/docs/
f o ru m/sc rap_ti re_e ng. pdfsc rap_ti re_e ng. pdf)
Gather information to better understand scrap tire
generation.
Consider federal, state, and local-level regulatory
options to administer scrap tire management
programs.
Encourage development and implementation,
through incentives, of environmentally acceptable
and economically viable end-use markets for scrap
tires to increase recycling and reuse.
Abate tire piles by seeking funding to eliminate
existing scrap tire piles, and by investing in
temporary storage/transfer stations to facilitate tire
recycling and reuse.
Involve federal, state and local government,
business, universities, and nongovernmental
organizations in the implementation of the Scrap
Tire Integrated Management Initiative.
Support educational outreach programs on scrap
tire recycling and reuse targeting diverse groups of
stakeholders.
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Tire Initiative
COLLABORTIVE EFFORT
In order to implement aspects of the U.S.-Mexico Scrap Tire Integrated Management Initiative and to
reduce current and future tire piles, EPA and SEMARNAT recently launched a Tire Initiative Collaborative
Effort geared towards Border States, municipalities and other governmental and nongovernmental entities.
Increase awareness and understanding of the U.S.-Mexico Scrap Tire Integrated Management Initiative
and promote actions to cleanup and prevent future tire piles.
Obtain commitment from Border States, municipalities and other governmental and nongovernmental
entities to collaborate on the Tire Initiative by signing a Letter of Understanding.
Encourage Border States, municipalities and other governmental and nongovernmental entities to enact
the Tire Initiative's Principles and Actions.
Letter of Understanding
By Border States, municipalities and other governmental and nongovernmental entities signing a Letter of
Understanding they are:
Indicating their awareness and understanding of the Tire Initiative and its Principles and Actions;
Expressing their support and collaboration with the Tire Initiative; and
Committing to work together to leverage their existing resources to implement activities which
support each of the Tire Initiative's Actions while maintaining consistency with each country's
Tire Industry's Continuing Commitmen
The United States and Mexican tire manufacturers industries, represented by the U.S. Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA) and the Mexican Chamber of Rubber respectively, are commit-
ted to collaborating with the U.S. and Mexican governments to solve the tire problems on the
U.S.-Mexico border. Both organizations recognize their critical role in solving the border tire is-
sue and understand that industry must work closely with government to solve this problem. For
example, since 2000, RMA has been dedicated to the border by providing valuable information,
building infrastructure and developing tire markets along the border. The Mexican Chamber of
Rubber has a successful agreement with SEMARNAT that is currently being implemented. RMA
and the Mexican Chamber of Rubber will continue their essential work while collaborating with
Federal, State and local governments on both sides of the border.
Website:
For Additional Information
http://www.epa.gov/border2012/docs/forum/scrap_tire_eng.pdf
Ellie Kanipe; kanipe.ellie@.epa.gov
U.S. EPA; Office of Solid Waste
Edgar Del Villar Alvelais; edgar.delvillar@.semarnat.gob.mx
SEMARNAT, Coordinacion de Asesores
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