Scrap Tire Disposal in the US-Mexico Border and possible Recycling Solutions in the context of the BECC Development Process Twelfth Forum of the Border Legislative Conference El Paso, Texas, November 9, 2005 Daniel Chacon General Manager

Border Environment Cooperation Commission? Established under the framework of the North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) along with its sister institution, the North American Development Bank. What is the Highly specialized, binational agency with responsibility to identify environmental infrastructure needs and develop projects to alleviate those problems.

Geographical Mandate The area of responsibility is defined as 100 kilometers (62 miles) on the US side and 300 kilometers (187 miles) on the Mexican of the border. This region covers an area of 750,000 Miles and a population of 22.3 Million people This region covers important urban centers like San Diego, Tijuana, Hermosillo, Cd. Juarez-El Paso- Las Cruces, Chihuahua, Monterrey, y Saltillo. This reality demands new strategic actions.

is what we’re all about BECC’s technical nature allows it to help plan improvements to the infrastructure of communities which ultimately translate to improvements in the quality of life of the residents of those areas. Certify environmental infrastructure projects along the U.S.-Mexico border for funding by NADB and other funding institutions. Quality of Life

Nature of BECC Totally integrated bilingual, binational staff empowered to work on either side of the border, on projects for either nation. Transparency in all processes and total access to all information regarding the projects and all actions. Unique international organization facing challenges of developing infrastructure on both sides of international border, involving two sets of federal, state and local governments, and two different cultures. Partnerships established with agencies with complimentary missions – IBWC, USDA, CILA, CNA.

Types of Projects Water supply Wastewater treatment Solid waste management Air quality Public Transportation Clean and efficient energy Municipal planning improvement Water management Primary Focus Expanded Areas Related Areas Industrial and hazardous waste pollution Water conservation Residential water and wastewater hookups Recycling and waste reduction.

Project Certification Criteria The project must address a human health or environmental need. There must be an environmental assessment conducted. It must comply with applicable environmental and cultural resource laws and regulations. Is the appropriate technology for the project and the community being utilized? Is there an appropriate plan for operation and maintenance, safety, quality assurance, training, and emergencies? Does the project comply with applicable EPA or SEMARNAT rules and regulations? Human Health and Environmental Need Technical Feasibility

Project Certification Criteria Was a comprehensive community participation plan implemented and documented to assure public access and participation? Community Participation The project must be designed according to sustainability principles to assure the protection and sustainable use of resources. Water management and re-use are key requirement to avoid depletion of this already scare resource. Sustainable Development (Continued) Revenues must cover debt, operation and maintenance. The Fee/Rate must cover all costs. Applicant must demonstrate capacity to provide service at a reasonable price, make capital improvements, and provide accounting and financial reports as necessary. Financial Feasibility and Project Management

Technical Assitance 12/ comunities in Mexico $ mil. 61 comunities in Mexico $ mil. 70 comunities in the US $ mil. 70 comunities in the US $ mil. $ MDD Approved California $ 1.89 mil. Arizona $ 3.31 mil. Nuevo Mexico $ 3.37 mil. Texas $ mil. Baja California $ 1.70 mil. Sonora $ 2.73 mil. Chihuahua $ 2.31 mil. Coahuila $ 1.10 mil. Nuevo Leon $ 0.35 mil. Tamaulipas $ 2.2 mil.

Certified Projects California 11 proyectos $ mil. Arizona 12 proy. $ mil. Nuevo Mexico 7 proy. $ mil. Texas 38 proy. $ mil. Baja California 9 proy. $ mil. Sonora 11 proy. $ mil. Chihuahua 7 proy. $ mil. Coahuila 3 proy. $ mil. Nuevo Leon 1 proy. $ 1.40 mil. Tamaulipas 5 proy. $ mil. 69 in US $ MDD 69 in US $ MDD 36 in Mexico $ 1.18 BDD 36 in Mexico $ 1.18 BDD 105 Projects Estimated Cost -- $2.18 BDD Covers more than 8 Million people 12/2004

Scrap tire generation In the United States, about 280 million scrap tires are generated per year (one per person) In Mexico, about 40 million scrap tires are generated per year Many more used tires are imported into Mexico, both legally and illegally, contributing extensively to the scrap tire problem I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria

Stockpiled tires in Mexico’s border cities I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria MéxicoEstimated tires in piles Mexicali2,000,000 Ciudad Juárez5,000,000 Matamoros 800,000 Reynosa 500,000 Nuevo Laredo 100,000 Piedras Negras 50,000 Ciudad Acuña 50,000

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Millions of tires consumed % of tires consumed Tire-derived fuel11541% Other uses Civil engineering40%14% Ground rubber (incl. rubber asphalt) 33%12% Export15%5% Cut/punched8%3% Misc/agriculture7%2% Total use21878% Total scrap tires generated annually281 What happens to tires in the U.S.?

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria What happens to tires in Mexico? % of tires consumed Disposed of in piles91% Ground Rubber Between 2% and 5% Burned for fuel Between 5% and 15%

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Tire-derived fuel FuelBTU/lb Pine wood 9,100 Bituminous coal11,000 – 14,000 Coke14,000 Tire chips14,000 – 15,000 Fuel oil18,000 – 19,000

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Tire-derived fuel (cont.) Most developed market for scrap tires worldwide Depending on the incinerator and primary fuel, tires can be burned whole or shredded Used as a supplemental fuel with solid fuels such as coal or wood Used predominantly by the cement industry, also by power plants, pulp & paper mills, and steel mills Emissions profile is similar to coal’s, but with more particulate matter and zinc and less SO 2 41% of scrap tires generated in the U.S. in 2001 were used as fuel

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Civil engineering applications Structural backfill Erosion control Landfill liners and covers Municipal sewage treatment Septic system drainage fields

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Civil engineering applications (cont.) Leaching from the metal in the tire chips is a concern Formation of “hot spots” in tire shreds used in fill projects is a concern Bacterial activity 14% of scrap tires generated in the U.S. in 2001 were used in civil engineering projects

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Ground rubber applications Rubber-modified asphalt Playgrounds and athletic surfaces Molded & bound products –Livestock mats –Speed bumps –Railroad crossings –Roof shingles New tire manufacturing 12% of scrap tires generated in U.S. in 2001 were recycled into ground rubber

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Ground rubber applications (cont.) Rubber-modified asphalt Largest use of ground rubber—12 million tires/yr Withstands hot and cold temperatures better than traditional asphalt Lower life-cycle costs –AZ study found 40% lower life-cycle cost over 25 years Increased traffic safety due to increased skid resistance and decreased maintenance needs Decreased traffic noise by 4-6 decibels

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Other uses for scrap tires Retreading (for tire casings in good condition) Pyrolysis –40% carbon black –25% pyrolysis oil –20% hydrocarbon gases –15% steel

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Financial viability Supply — # of locally available scrap tires Location — Distance of tire stockpiles from the recycling center, and distance from markets for the end product Size of system — economies of scale Labor — costs of transporting, handling, and processing the tires Condition — tires that have been in stockpiles may be too dirty or degraded for some options Fuel costs — for TDF, cost of competing fuels such as coal and natural gas Viability of any tire disposal or recycling project is highly dependent on several project-specific factors

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Health effects Tires provide habitat for vectors of human disease –Mosquitoes Yellow fever, dengue fever, malaria, encephalitis and the West Nile virus –Rodents Rabies, hantavirus, lyme disease, and the plague Transport of tires spreads invasive species –Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) –Yellow Fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti )

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Scrap tire pile hazards: Fire Highly combustible –Ignition by arson or lightning strikes 20 major tire fires annually in the U.S. Costly and lengthy firefighting efforts; substantial clean up problems Sources of environmental contamination –Air –Surface water and ground water –Soils

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Human health effects of open tire fires Nearby residents Emergency responders Acute and chronic health effects Irritation to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes Respiratory effects Central nervous system depression Cancer

I.Scrap tire overview II.Human health and environmental effects III.U.S. regulatory framework IV.Mexican regulatory framework V.BECC certification criteria Overarching themes Critical tire management strategy—to eliminate scrap tire piles Fire prevention planning and training is paramount for existing tire stockpiles All options discussed (tire-to-energy, civil engineering, ground rubber) have the potential to be certified under the BECC criteria A binational assessement is requiered for legal and environmental responsibility in the whole distribution process like tax evasion, the fraudulent misuse of the disposal fees paid in the US and environmental and health risks due to mismanagement of scrap tires originated in the US

Disposal options in the Mexican Border Several Recycling options have been analyzed or developedrecently in the Mexican side of the Border: Pilot Project of Pirolisis in Matamoros; Canadian Pirolisis Option presented to Juarez; Australian ground rubber technology presented to Juarez; llancreto from Cemex with one street paved in San Pedro Garza, Nuevo Leon and other street paved in Tijuana, Baja California; TDF in cement kilns in Baja California, Sonora and Chihuahua

Border 2012 Goals to clean up of scrap tires sites with funding from EPA and SEMARNAT El Centinela in Mexicali INNOR site in Mexicali Site in the landfill of Juareze

Status of the clean up of scrap tires sites From 2004 to 2005 some 1.3 million tires have been disposed 420,000 from INNOR 400,000 from El Centinela 40,000 from 6 Delegations of Tijuana 550,000 from the landfill of Juarez

Funding sources for the clean up of scrap tires sites in the border ( ) Semarnat310,000 Dls USEPA225,000 Gov. of Chihuahua40,000 Municipality of Juarez40,000 Gov. of Baja Calif.200,000