Dive summary:

• The largest tire recycler in North America, Liberty Tire Recycling, is partnering with Bridgestone Americas to host an event pushing for those in the auto industry to recycle old tires.
• The conference, Recycle NASHVILLE:2013, will gather transportation and environmental professionals, civic leaders and policymakers to learn about using recycled tire products in asphalt or other applications.
• More than 300 million tires are put out of use every year, studies have shown that mixing them into asphalt not only cuts down the number of tires in landfills, but it also diminish maintenance costs to roads and provides a better surface for automobiles.

From the press release:

The sessions at Recycle NASHVILLE: 2013 will consist of presentations on topics including "Scrap Tire Management in Tennessee," "Scrap Tire Processing and Uses," "Tennessee Asphalt Industry Overview," "Tennessee Experience with Rubber and Modified Asphalt" and "Rubberized Asphalt Materials and Applications," which will provide an overview of the advantages of rubberized asphalt, from enhanced safety and reduced tire noise to better crack resistance and cost savings.

"More than 300 million tires come off the roads annually, and while they may no longer be of use on a vehicle, they are still a valuable resource," said Tim Bent, environmental director for Bridgestone Americas. "Our company is working to ensure that for every new tire we sell in the U.S., one spent tire - a tire that has been removed from use - is sent to another valuable purpose. If we are to succeed in reaching that goal, we must create, promote and encourage the use of spent tires in secondary markets, and rubberized asphalt has enormous potential for utilizing a large number of those tires that are discarded each year for an incredibly important product." ...