Tire Stewardship BC is funding 13 community projects this year

Tires are probably the most important thing on your vehicle that you think about the least. Those four contact patches are all that’s keeping you on the road, but we only ever really pay attention when it’s time to replace them or to swap on the winter tires. So, consider this a reminder to check that your tire pressure matches what it says on the driver’s side door jam (underinflation can rob your gas mileage). And if you’ve never given a thought to what happens to your tires after you’re done with them, good news. Turns out recycled tires are giving back to the community.

At more than three decades old, B.C.’s tire recycling program is the oldest such system in Canada. If you’ve got a set of worn out old tires cluttering up the garage, simply go to the Tire Stewardship BC site and search for a nearby collection site to drop them off.

Disposing of old tires has been a problem for as long as the automobile has existed, and it’s not going to disappear in a battery-electric future. The running gag on The Simpsons about the constantly burning Springfield Tire Fire is alarmingly close to the truth. Stacked up tires present a fire hazard, and in landfills they are bulky and can increase methane production.

Recycling tires is a well-understood process, but does take some work. You can’t simply shred them, as there are metal and nylon wires to be removed before the rubber is mulched. Once processed, several grades of rubber pellets can be recovered, and put to work as surfacing. Since its inception in 1991, B.C.’s tire scrappage system has recycled some 100 million tires.

When you buy new tires, a small eco fee is collected, and this covers the transportation and recycling of the material at end-of-life. It’s much the same as the fee you pay when you buy a litre of motor oil.

Some of these tires are ground up for garden mulch or thick rubber horse mats. However, thanks to the consistent effort of Tire Stewardship BC’s board, some portion of that collected eco fee is directed towards a grant.

“Much of the time, its process and mechanical,” says Rosemary Sutton, Executive Director for Tire Stewardship BC, “This program is a chance to give back to the community.”

“They’ve all got their own story and uniqueness,” she adds, “It’s really hard to narrow it down.”

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Tire Stewardship BC is a non-profit organization, though it is subject to government regulations. Founded in 2003 by a partnership between the Rubber Association of Canada, the Retail Council of Canada, and Western Canada Tire Dealers, it now also includes the New Car Dealers Association of BC. The board draws on members from each one of these four associations.

Each year, that board looks to set aside a portion of their budget to fund community projects. The application process is handled through the website, and while there is always more demand than there are funds, these grants make it possible for schools and non-profit societies to make their playgrounds and parks safer and more accessible.

This year there are thirteen such programs, including several playgrounds, a water park, and a community gathering and play space for the Cowichan Tribes sustainable housing project in Duncan. An incredible number of used tires will be recycled with these projects, some 14,928 in total.

Last year saw fourteen projects completed. To date, Tire Stewardship BC has donated $5.8 million in funds to various community projects, the list of recipients running to more than a dozen pages.

These are walkways, running surfaces, playgrounds, and playing fields. Sutton says that often a playground that receives a grant is updating its equipment, so these places then become more accessible to children with mobility issues. Recycled rubber surfaces are non-slip and durable, so they provide a safer, longer-wearing place to play.

It’s probably not something you ever thought about. However, the next time you’re in at your local tire dealer, waiting for a repair or a new set of tires, cast a glance at the pile of used tires ready to be collected and sent off for recycling. They’re just an automotive byproduct. But people have found a way to put them to good use.

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