USTMA supports new legislation to boost tire retreading

Washington, DC – The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) and its member companies stand in support of  H.R.8578, the Retreaded Truck Tire Jobs, Supply Chain Security and Sustainability Act introduced by U.S. Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL) and Emilia Strong Sykes (D-OH). The bill would incentivize investments in retreaded commercial tires by providing tax credits for fleet purchases of U.S. retreaded commercial tires.

The retread sector employs over 51,000 American workers and is the largest remanufacturing sector in the U.S., supporting more than 268,000 jobs across the broader U.S. tire industry. However, there has been an alarming 50 percent decrease in the number of retread facilities in the U.S. over the past 21 years. The number of domestic tire retreading facilities continues to drop due in part to growing imports of foreign alternatives for new tires. This trend threatens the U.S. job market and undermines efforts to build robust tire recycling programs, given that about 65 percent of foreign tires are less likely to be retreaded due to their design and construction.

“By providing tax credits to fleet purchasers who buy American-made retreaded commercial tires, the federal government would help level the playing field for U.S. tire companies and shift the business model back in favor of retreading, a highly effective way to reuse tires with proven economic and environmental benefits,” said Anne Forristall Luke, president and CEO of USTMA.

USTMA and its members are committed to reducing CO2 emissions throughout a tire’s life cycle. Each retreaded tire reduces energy consumption, CO2 emissions, raw material usage, and tire disposal challenges, thereby helping to build a more sustainable environment.

In fact, compared to new tires, retreaded tires:
Use 15 gallons less oil and 90 lbs. less total material per tire
Save the U.S. and Canada about 215 million gallons of oil per year
Reduce CO2 emissions by 24%
Reduce water consumption by 19%
Reduce air pollution by 21%
Remove 1.4 billion pounds per year from the waste stream

USTMA continues to prioritize the expansion of sustainable and circular infrastructure solutions for tires, and the creation of domestic manufacturing jobs for production of retreated tires, by promoting their use for commercial vehicles. H.R.8578 provides the much-needed incentive to revitalize the U.S. retreading sector and promote tire circularity and environmental sustainability efforts. USTMA applauds the bipartisan work of Reps. LaHood and Sykes to introduce this bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.