Tyre Derived

What is it, who's using it, and what are the environmental issues around burning tyres for energy?

Prepared for WasteMINZ 2010 Presented by: Marty Hoffart The Value of Good Science October 13th – 15th Today’s session: Turning great ideas into practical action We have a tyre problem and we need a better solution The current situation in New Zealand?

• About 4 million tyres annually or 11,000 daily • No national levy or advanced fee planned by MFE • Tyres not considered as a priority product • No industry lead stewardship programme from the tyre industry • TyreTrack funding pulled and it no longer operating • No regulation for collectors or destination of tyres • No enforcement of illegal export to China and Vietnam That’s about 27 x 20ft shipping containers each day What is tyre derived fuel? And who are you going to call when you need help?

Not GHOSTBUSTERS! What does Wikipedia say?

Theory produce the same energy as petroleum and approximately 25% more energy than coal,[1] Burning tires is lower on the hierarchy of reducing than recycling, but it is better than placing the waste in a or dump. There is a possibility for tire fires or the harboring of disease vectors such as mosquitoes.[1] What does the waste hierarch look like?

(www.aggregatepros.com) What is tyre derived fuel?

• Tyres are generally processed into 1” to 4” chips and typically used in high heat operations like cement kilns, power generation and manufacturing. • North America, Europe, the UK and North Asia have been using tyre-derived-fuel to power their industries for more than 30 years. According to the US EPA? There are several advantages to using tires as fuel:

• Tires produce the same amount of energy as oil and 25% more energy than coal • The ash residues from TDF may contain a lower content than some coals. • Results in lower NOx emissions when compared to many U.S. coals, particularly the high-sulfur coals. www.epa.gov Scrap tyres simply replace other fossil ?

• Chipped tyres replace coal in cement kilns • It is an alternative to conventional fuels • TDF is a potentially lower-cost material compared with coal • It has consistent fuel properties, especially its significant heating value. Tyre derived fuel in plain language?

• Tyre derived fuel is the generic term given to pieces of tyre, tyre derived material or whole tyres and used as a fuel. • Some cement kilns can burn whole tyres but conventional coal fired boilers normally used chipped tyres. • Some experts say 70% of the world’s tyres are recovered for alternative energy sources. • We burn millions litres of used oil every year and can also recover energy from end-of-life tyres? • For you techies…Tyre Derived Fuel (TDF) • Tyre derived fuel meets air emission standards under the correct conditions. • “A tyre burns completely at 650 Celsius, producing principally carbon dioxide and water…The temperature inside cement kilns, at 1800 Celsius…ensures complete .” And TDF has 20% more energy than coal and 5 times less sulphur and no moisture. Which means it burns cleaner than conventional coal.

• See URS Case Study for End-of-life Tyres 2006 Why would we burn tyres?

• We have an over supply of tyres with limited and recycling options • We can’t flood the rubber crumb market. It would collapse. • TDF is a potentially lower-cost material compared with coal • It has consistent fuel properties, especially its significant heating value.

Under the wrong conditions burning tyres causes pollution What does TDF look like? This machine is built in the USA by: Columbus Mckinnon Corporation

Who is using TDF in New Zealand? Answer No one yet…TDF has to be exported for now Obvious possible users are….. • Holcim NZ • Golden Bay Cement • Pacific Steel • New Zealand Steel • Pan Pac • And several others. Basically anyone that currently uses coal and has a boiler could subsitute 12% to 15% TDF

In the USA

Of the 130 million scrap tires used as fuel per year: • Cement industry - 41% • Pulp and paper mills - 20% • Electric utilities - 18% • Industrial/institutional boilers - 13% • Dedicated tire-to-energy facilities - 8%-

Rubber Manufacturers Association US EPA………..

• Based on years of experience with more than 80 individual facilities, EPA recognizes that the use of tire-derived fuels is a viable alternative to the use of fossil fuels. • EPA testing shows that TDF has a higher BTU value than coal. The Agency supports the responsible use of tires in kilns and other industrial facilities

www.epa.gov European Union study……….. The prerequisites for using of tire derived fuel (TDF) as a supplement fuel for the clinker production showed…….

• Measurements were carried out by using different qualitative analytical techniques such as, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), optical microscopy in two series of raw mill, clinker and fuel samples with and without the use of TDF. • The compressive strength of cement produced was measured. In this specific study 6% of the total fuel used was TDF. It was concluded that no apparent problems occurred from the use of TDF as a supplemental fuel in the clinker burning. School of Chemical Engineering, Laboratory of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, National Technical University of Athens www.sciencedirect.com European use of TDF

• Europe, perhaps more than any other part of the world actively pursues an option for replacing some of the fossil fuels with alternative and biomass fuels, of approximately 2.7 million tonnes of scrap tires handled annually there, 27% are directed to energy recovery systems including cement kilns.

www.basil.int Canadian use of TDF

• A Recent (2008) CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory study on ‘Scrap in Canada’ reports that about 20% of all scrap tires generated in Canada are used as TDF, mostly in cement kilns and in one paper mill. • This equals about 6 million tires, approximately 49,000 tonnes, beneficially reused. The study states that due to its high calorific value, TDF is a good substitute for fossil fuels.

www.basil.int Why promote and increase in carbon emission?

1. We should use the resources we already have available 2. Some businesses require a high heat source 3. TDF emissions are less than those of conventional coal 4. , farms and illegal export is not the answer 5. The tyre industry does not want the rubber crumb back 6. There are not enough rubber products in demand New Zealand has a pathetic tyre recycling rate

Source: www.pacificrubber.co.nz Where do all the tyres come from? Major players in the New Zeland tyre industry?

1. /Firestone – Account for about 40% of all tyres 2. Goodyear/Dunlop – Account for about 30% of all tyres 3. About 50 smaller companies importing new and used tyres

What are brand owners and tyre retailers doing? • No National Rubber Manufacturers Association • No association or industry body • No collaboration for stewardship between tyre companies • No plans to change current practice of cheapest disposal options Bridgestone/Firestone says…..

“Bridgestone Americas is committed to being a good corporate citizen globally, nationally, regionally, and especially in the communities where we have manufacturing plants, sales and service facilities, or corporate offices. We are working to ensure tires remain among the most recovered and recycled consumer products. Bridgestone/Firestone patented TDF

• “Most notably, Bridgestone developed a patented technology for recovering the fuel value and iron in tires for cement manufacturing, and then donated the patent for use around the world. Recycling your old tires is easy. When you buy new tires from any of our company owned or dealer owned retail locations, your old tires will be managed for you.”

TDF is what Bridgestone/Firestone recommend as the best ‘end use’ and they sell 40% of all tyres in New Zealand. Goodyear/Dunlop - largest tyre company in the world

“Goodyear evaluates all potential waste by the 3-R principle that focuses first on reduction, then reuse and finally recycling before sending any material to a landfill. Since landfill waste historically has had a significant environmental impact - due to the loss of reusable resources and the potential contamination that may result from landfilled materials - Goodyear prioritizes the reduction in the amount of waste that it sends to landfills.”

This is not happening in New Zealand……………………

What about the Ministry for the Environment?

• No plans for Advanced Recycling Fee (ARF) or Levy • No more TyreTrack • No tyre working group • No plans to change current policy or position • No manditory product stewardship scheme • No declaration of priority products • Leaving the solution up to an industry led scheme

Even though many local authorities, consultants and individuals submitted detailed submissions asking for a levy or advanced recycling fees last year We waste valuable resources in a world with a depleting energy supply

• WeRe Current lack of regulation means tyres continue to end up in the hands of the wrong people and the wrong places Current lack of regulation means tyres continue to end up in the hands of the wrong people and the wrong places Current lack of regulation means tyres continue to end up in the hands of the wrong people and the wrong places Tyres are being baled and illegally exported to China What happens when the wire rusts? Ever heard of in Florida? • FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.- In the waters off Fort Lauderdale, lies a bizarre graveyard of discarded tires. • An estimated 2 million of them are scattered over 35 acres of ocean floor, dumped there in the early 1970s in an attempt to create an with baled tyres. • Using one estimate of $20 per tire, the job could cost up to $40 million. At a higher estimate of $50 a tire, it could cost $100 million.

We need to deal with the problem not hide it! What can you do at your council?

• Stop landfilling tyres • Stop sending tyres to farms • Stop working with companies that export illegally • Start charging the right amount to accept scrap tyres • Stop waiting for the MFE or the tyre industry to do something…. • Generate revenue, not more waste Where to from here? We need a manditory product stewardship scheme for end of life tyres in New Zealand

• Tyre Derived Fuel is used world-wide • It meets environmental standards • We could close the loop in New Zealand • Reliable technology • Guaranteed end-use of product • Capacity for growth industry Thank you!