Tire Recycling Program Annual Report, 1994

III. Contracts

Besides awarding grants, revenue from the California Tire Recycling Management Fund has been used to fund contracts for program activities including waste tire facility regulation, hauler registration, public education, and marketing and technical research. The following section is a status of the contracts still in progress.

FY 1991-92
An Interagency Agreement (IAA), for the amount of $500,000, was awarded to Caltrans, Division of New Technology, Materials, and Research, for creating a database of paving jobs containing tire rubber, for performing emissions testing during the recycling of pavement containing tire rubber, for purchasing several pieces of testing equipment, and for developing specifications for the use of tire rubber in asphalt concrete. The database is being created, the equipment has been ordered and, the emissions testing will be scheduled. It is anticipated that specifications for construction of asphalt concrete projects containing tire rubber will be developed by mid-1995.

This contract is important because it will assist in the development of specifications for the use of rubber in asphalt concrete. Once developed and distributed, the specifications will facilitate the increased use of rubber in asphalt concrete at the local level.

The Air Resources Board (ARB) was awarded an IAA for $160,000 to provide emissions testing of tire derived fuel (TDF) combusted at a cement manufacturing facility and a biomass combustion facility. These results would benefit other facilities in the state interested in combusting waste tires by further demonstrating the use of TDF to the local Air Pollution Control Districts and Air Quality Management Districts. A TDF testburn was conducted at a biomass facility in May 1994. Results are anticipated by Spring 1995.

FY 1992-93
An IAA for $500,000 was awarded to Caltrans to install 15 test maintenance strategies of various "recipes" of asphalt rubber pavements, provide ongoing monitoring and testing, and provide biennial reports to the IWMB for up to 15 years. The test strategies have been placed and the final project report (to include information on methodology, application specifications, processes, materials and equipment used, work performed, problems and solutions, cost comparisons, and testing schedules) will be available by early 1995. Beginning mid 1997, biennial progress reports including information on current status, test results and evaluations, strategy performance and failures, and life-cycle analyses will also be available.

A contract was awarded to Calrecovery, Inc., for $69,000 to research existing pyrolysis projects in the nation. A draft report has been received and is currently being reviewed. Preliminary recommendations indicate that pyrolysis, gassification, and liquefaction technologies are not yet commercially viable. A final report will be available by mid 1995.

R. W. Beck & Associates have been awarded a contract for $40,000 to research the characteristics and possible uses of tire combustion ash. The final report will be available in early 1995.

An IAA for $350,659 was awarded to the State Fire Marshal to develop a waste Tire Fire Prevention Program. Tasks included developing a training program, training local fire authorities, producing a video, and identifying waste tire sires in California. The IAA terminated on October 1, 1994.

FY 1993-94
An IAA was awarded to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for $50,000 to investigate the environmental effects of waste tires on the environment. The project requires a literature search, a review and assessment of information obtained, and recommendations for additional study. Results are anticipated by early 1996.

Two IAA's were awarded to the University of California, Davis, for a total of $100,000 to investigate the domestic and foreign markets for waste tires and tire rubber; identify existing recycling technologies, recycling programs, and recycling ordinances and laws; identify and research industry trends and tire supplies; and to provide findings and recommendations. Results are anticipated by 1996.

Two IAAs totaling $100,000 ($50,000 each) were awarded to Dr. James Crossfield, CSU, Fresno, and Dr. Eugene Tseng, UCLA Extension, for development of a methodology for estimating the number of tires contained in a waste tire pile. The development of the methodology is in its initial stages. Results are expected in 1996.

FY 1994-95
The IWMB allocated $250,000 for Permitting and Enforcement waste tire programs which include the development of a database of waste tire haulers for the Waste Tire Hauler Registration Program.

The IWMB allocated $1,000,000 for the Waste Tire Abatement Program to identify and remediate tire sites in California. Staff will develop a method of prioritizing the sites and create a list which ranks them. Funds will be used for IWMB contracts and in cooperation with other governmental agencies. At this time no remedial actions have been approved.

The IWMB allocated $35,000 for the development and production of the Second Biennial Waste Tire Conference. Staff is currently pursuing an IAA with several universities and anticipate entering into an agreement by January 1995. The conference is tentatively planned for summer 1995.

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