Tire Recycling Initiatives
USTMA Pushes for Tire Circularity with a New Foundation
Georgia Wray Norsten — April 17, 2025
At the ninth Tire Recycling Conference, the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) launched the Tire Recycling Foundation in collaboration with the Tire Industry Association. This ambitious initiative seeks to bridge critical research and innovation gaps across the tire recycling supply chain. It aims to ensure that 100% of end-of-life tires are repurposed into sustainable markets.
One of the Foundation’s flagship goals is to scale up the use of rubber-modified asphalt (RMA), a proven solution that enhances road performance while reducing environmental impacts. RMA improves road durability and skid resistance and contributes to lower traffic noise and maintenance costs. Perhaps most notably, its use can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and microplastic pollution linked to tire wear, showcasing this material's dual economic and ecological value.
With a $300,000 fundraising goal for 2025 and an ambitious $2-3 million target for 2026, the Foundation is setting the groundwork for a circular tire economy backed by collaboration, innovation, and environmental responsibility.
