The Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center will hold a Recycled Tire Rubber Economic Development Forum on May 21 in the Harrisburg.

The focus of the forum is to strategically evaluate economic development opportunities for recycled tire use in the Commonwealth.

As sustainable tire recycling continues to be a challenge for both supply and demand side proprietors, the RMC is poised to enhance use of tires as a RMC priority commodity. Cooperation in the Economic Development Forum will assist the RMC to create sustainable action items and programmatic activity for expansion of this pivotal recycling industry in the Commonwealth.

For this engagement, invited guests and RMC partners will be requested to participate in a facilitated roundtable on demand-side tire recycling challenges. These challenges not only limit the pathway to further beneficial uses of recycled tire rubber, but ultimately result in lost opportunities for job creation and expansion in the Commonwealth.

Anticipated discussion outcomes from the event include refinement of process development initiatives, strategic partnering opportunities, tire rubber use and manufacturing innovations, review of tire rubber supply chain logistics, and deployment of workforce development initiatives.

Approximately 12.5 million used tires are generated in Pennsylvania each year. The three largest scrap tire markets include: tire derived fuel, civil engineering applications and ground rubber applications.

For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center website or contact Bob Bylone, Executive Director at rjb128@psu.edu or 717-948-6660.

5/11/2007