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. ------- 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 ------- |