The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a new proposal to address the issue of millions of abandoned tyres across the United States, while also promoting their use as an alternative fuel source
The EPA proposal seeks to accelerate the clean-up of tyre stockpiles, which are widely recognised as a risk to public health and safety. Large tyre piles can become fire hazards and breeding grounds for disease-carrying animals, while also creating significant environmental and visual concerns for local communities.
According to the EPA, an estimated 48 million abandoned tyres remain across at least 23 states and Tribal lands. To help tackle this, the agency is proposing to allow whole scrap tyres to be used as a non-waste fuel in cement kilns. It also aims to streamline how tyre collection programmes manage tyres destined for energy recovery, supporting faster removal of stockpiles and improved resource utilisation.
“Abandoned tyre piles across the US pose a threat to the health and safety of Americans, but this waste stream can be and should be responsibly and carefully addressed to make America both healthy and energy dominant again. Our latest proposal provides a commonsense approach to better clean up scrap tyres and realise their full potential as fuel,” said Office of Land and Emergency Management Acting Assistant Administrator Thomas Croci.
The EPA has opened a 60-day public consultation period, with stakeholders invited to submit feedback on the proposal until 22 May 2026.
In the United States, the use of tyre-derived fuel (TDF) in cement kilns is already well established, with a number of facilities integrating scrap tyres into their energy mix. A notable example is Holcim, which has invested in dedicated TDF systems at its Holcim Alpena Plant in 2023.
The plant’s upgraded TDF unit enables the efficient use of whole and processed tyres as a supplemental fuel, helping to reduce reliance on traditional fossil fuels while supporting tyre waste reduction. This approach is not unique to the U.S.; co-processing tyres in cement kilns is a widely adopted solution globally, valued for its ability to recover energy and utilise the material’s high calorific value within existing industrial processes.
However, approaches vary globally. In Europe, policy and industry trends are increasingly focused on higher-value material recovery, such as recycling into rubber products or recovered carbon black, in line with circular economy principles. As a result, the use of tyres for energy recovery is gradually being deprioritised in favour of material recycling, although it remains part of the overall waste management mix in some markets.
IMAGE SOURCE: Envato Elements
CAPTION: Please note this image is of a generic cement plant. The image is not intended to depict cement plants in the United States, nor cement plants burning TDF
