Contractor’s Report
to CalRecycle
28
Waste Tire Imports
In 2012, approximately 1.6 percent of waste tires handled by processors were imported into
California from states such as Hawaii and Washington. These tires have been subtracted from the
statistics provided in this report to ensure the quantities are only indicative of the disposition of
California tires.
Waste Tire and TDF Exports
As illustrated in Figure 5, in 2012 the dominant trend in California tire recycling markets
continued to be growth in exports of waste tires and also of processed tire-derived fuel, sent
largely to Asian nations but also to other regions.
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The quantity exported in 2012 is estimated at
13.5 million passenger tire equivalents, or nearly 30 percent of all tires managed. Since 2011,
export has been the single largest market destination for California waste tires. While this is a
new trend for tires, it is a situation that is very common with other recyclables. Waste tire exports
increased more than 40 percent in 2012, on top of a 50 percent rise in 2011.
Figure 5
Trends in Export of Waste Tires/Tire-Derived Fuel and Used Tires
16
35%
14
30%
12
25%
10
20%
8
15%
6
10%
4
2
5%
0
0%
f PTEs
os noilliM
Waste Tires
Used Tires
Combined Exports
Percent Exported
During the initial years of the tire export boom, from 2008 through 2011, a large portion of
exported tires were baled or shredded waste tires. While these tires were destined for tire-derived
fuel, they were largely processed overseas. However, export of processed tire-derived fuel to
Japan and other countries has also grown substantially and continues to be very strong and
growing. In late 2012, China began increased enforcement that effectively closed the doors for
continued importation of waste tire bales and shreds, which had by many accounts been
continuing through Vietnam. China is currently stepping up scrutiny of all recycled commodities
imported into the nation, through a new “green fence” policy, suggesting that slow or no demand
for tires may continue indefinitely. Concurrent with this shift in export demand, CalRecycle
enforcement activities, including some streamlined changes in administrative procedures, has also
impacted the scale of operations at some exporters that had been baling or shredding tires but not
further processing them to meet specifications such as those of tire-derived fuel.
8
The
ncluded a detailed analysis of waste tire export trends and issues.
