Michigan awards $2 million for scrap tire market development grants

Detroit, MI – The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) announced the funding of more than $2 million in grants to develop new markets for used vehicle tires. When illegal dumping in the environment occurs, scrap tires pose both a fire hazard and a human health risk as a mosquito breeding ground.

These scrap tire grants support building sustainable markets for recycled tire materials in Michigan. Grants have traditionally included support for essential equipment and materials that aid in the establishment of new markets, including various manufacturing processes, implementation and testing of paving materials, energy generation, and other innovative approaches.

These grants contribute to a more sustainable business model for the scrap tire industry through increased market opportunities for scrap tire processors, end users, and manufacturers. This fiscal year funding will be used to support the following projects:

Entech Inc.: $300,000

Equipment to support the expansion of the use of rubber modified surface treatment for roads.

St. Joseph County Road Commission: $202,860

To apply 18.14 lane miles of rubber modified surface treatment.

Michigan Technological University: $210,070

Research partnership to install and study rubber modified rubber epoxy concrete on a bridge deck in St. Clair County as a lightweight bridge decking preservation method.

Washtenaw County Road Commission: $377,877

Rubber modified asphalt paving of four lane miles of Golfside Road between Packard Road and Clark Road that will utilize over 7,600 scrap tires. This project will be a research partnership with Michigan Technological University.

Clinton County Road Commission: $450,000

Portable small-scale blending unit for devulcanized rubber modified hot mix asphalt binder, which will be used on 3.66 lane miles of Airport Road from Grand River Avenue to Herbison Road. This project will be a research partnership with Michigan State University.

Road Commission of Kalamazoo County: $499,999

This will be used to apply approximately 20 land miles of rubber modified surface treatment.

Match funding for partnership grant: $25,000

Match funding for the Michigan Department of Transportation’s State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC) grant, in partnership with the County Road Association of Michigan (CRA), related to Rubber Modified Asphalt and Rubber Modified Surface Treatment for roads.