USA

ELT are regulated at the state level through federal waste tire management programmes. Each state independently decides on the customer fee imposed on the purchase of new tires, and on potential grants and subsidies for ELT recovery projects.

There have been no major changes in policy or legislation since 2016, and no major shift expected at the national level.

The United States Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA, formerly RMA) is the national trade association representing tire manufacturers in the United States.

• 39% of ELT are sent towards energy recovery in the United States, and 33.2% to material recovery, among which granulation is the main recovery route. In addition, 8.8% of ELT are directed towards civil engineering.

A relatively high number of studies on health and environmental impacts of ELT recovery methods, especially for the use of crumb rubber for synthetic turf have been conducted in the US.

• Synthetic turf: Significant number of studies conducted within the last 15 years, but results have been inconclusive with regard to potential risk to human health.

• Material: Micronized rubber powder; rubber-modified concrete; adsorption of chemical elements using scrap tire rubber, etc.
• Energy: Recovered carbon as anodes for batteries, pyrolysis, etc.

• Efficient and well-established ELT management systems.
• Active research into new technologies.

• Different ELT management methods in each state mean that some states are more advanced than others.
• Regulations can have detrimental effects on the smooth development of some markets (civil engineering, asphalt).