Scrap Tires Air Emissions in North Carolina

Abstract

In 2003, more than 290 million scrap tires were generated in the USA. Tires can be used as fuel, either in shredded form known as tire-derived fuel (TDF) or whole, depending on the type of combustion device. Scrap tires are typically used as a supplement to traditional fuels such as coal or wood. Generally, tires need to be reduced in size to fit in most combustion units. Nearly 100 million of these tires were recycled into new products, and 130 million were reused as TDF in various industrial facilities. TDF is one of several viable alternatives to prevent newly generated scrap tires from inappropriate disposal in tire piles, and for reducing or eliminating existing tire stockpiles. Scrap tires represent both a disposal problem and a resource opportunity. Many potential negative environmental and health impacts are associated with scrap tire piles. This study focuses on an examination of North Carolina air emissions related to open tire fires, their potential health impacts, and the combustors that use tires as a fuel.