NASHVILLE (WATE) - Officials on Monday announced 41 grants to help Tennessee communities recycle tires and keep them out of landfills.
The waste tire recycling grants total more than $2.8 million in fiscal year 2013-14. They're supported from the Solid Waste Management Fund, which receives revenue from a pre-disposal fee on the purchase of new tires.
Counties in the 6 News viewing area that received grants are:
- Claiborne - $24,200
- Cocke - $47,800
- Greene - $102,712
- Hamblen - $116,800
- Hancock - $4,200
- Hawkins - $39,800
- Monroe - $42,400
- Morgan - $8,800
- Roane - $75,600
- Scott - $10,800
- Sevier - $126,600
Tennessee recycles an estimated 55,000 tons of tires per year, diverting waste tires from landfills and sending them to beneficial end-use facilities. Their uses include: using tire-derived aggregate in civil engineering projects, crumb rubber for asphalt paving and molded rubber products.
The majority of the state's waste tires are used as tire-derived fuel.
The Legislature authorized waste tire grants in the Solid Waste Management Act of 1991. The grants assist counties with the processing and transportation of tires to end-use facilities.
Counties are reimbursed $1 per eligible tire and are required to provide at least one waste tire collection site.
The counties may charge an additional fee if the grant isn't adequate to cover costs.
The fund is administered by the state Department of Environment and Conservation, and $1.25 from the $1.35 pre-disposal fee collected is used to supplement the counties' costs for waste tire recycling and services.
