Dive Brief:

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the State of Texas for Recycling (STAR) are trying to increase the recycling rate of tires at the U.S./Mexico border. 
• The groups held a workshop focused on the management of scrap tires and market development, and brought representatives from state and local agencies, the tire industry, public utilities and elected office. 
• This collaborative effort aims to define the future of scrap tires and create markets to use the tire scrap instead of discarding the materials at landfills.

Dive Insight:

According to the EPA, the border areas contain millions of tires, The piles attract pests and have become a top priority in the agency's Border 2020 U.S./Mexico environmental program. Previously, the program removed 6 million tires from Ciudad Juarez that were later converted into fuel.