USTMA urges Congress to adopt tire and transportation sustainability policies in infrastructure package

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association urged Congressional leadership to include tire policy and related transportation sustainability initiatives as they negotiate the latest infrastructure package. In a letter, the association representing 13 of the world’s largest tire manufacturers identified five specific policy proposals ranging from tax incentives to additional research dollars and procurement commitments to strengthen the American tire manufacturing industry and help the country deliver on its important environmental objectives. “Deeply invested in efforts to reduce environmental impacts throughout the entire life of their products, U.S. tire manufacturers employ hundreds of thousands of highly skilled American workers who strive to produce the highest quality tires in terms of durability, efficiency and safety,” said Anne Forristall Luke, USTMA president and CEO. “To ensure communities across the nation can thrive, we’ve identified several concrete actions Congress can take to support transportation innovations not only to improve performance and sustainability on our roads, but to ensure a comprehensive infrastructure plan.” The five policy areas identified by USTMA and its members in the letter to Congressional leadership include:

1. Investing in the research and integration of rubber modified asphalt in new and existing infrastructure projects.
2. Investing in research regarding the use of tire derived aggregate (TDA) in storm water infiltration galleries.
3. Incentivizing the growth of U.S. manufacturing of retreaded tires for commercial vehicles.
4. Incentivizing the use of low rolling resistance tires, which increase fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, for public and private use.
5. Ensuring 100 percent of tires in the federal fleet enter the scrap tire circularity market.