Based on a report commissioned by the Ministry of the Environment in October 2008 there are approximately 2.8 million scrap tires in stockpiles across the province.
Stockpiled tires may present significant recycling challenges as they may be too dirty, or too oxidized to be viable for recycling using current methods of processing. Options include cleaning, washing and sorting stockpiled tires before processing, or extracting the latent energy by using the tires as Tire Derived Fuel (TDF). OTS is aware that there are kilns in Quebec and several jurisdictions in the United States where tires unsuitable for diversion applications could be sent for TDF, however the focus of OTS with regards to stockpile clean-up will be to assess the stockpiles individually and divert tires to processing options for recycling as tire conditions allow.
The abatement plan for each stockpile site will be unique. Each stockpile site will have its own characteristics and associated costs and will need to be identified, prioritized, estimated and planned individually. It is anticipated that the program management approach to stockpile abatement will be developed collaboratively with the Ministry of Environment.
Some of the criteria for prioritizing stockpiles include: number of tires; condition and age of tires and the site; topography and access; site ownership and access; and social, environmental, health impacts and health risks.
To some extent the schedule to eliminate existing stockpiles is contingent on the development and approval of comprehensive individualized site clean-up plans. In the Used Tires Program Plan OTS has committed to cleaning up all stockpiled sites in Ontario within 3 years. OTS will utilize contracted Project Mangers for site clean-up initiatives.
