The 1990 tire fire in Hagersville, Ont., has brought tire recycling across Canada into spotlight, and determined the need for a safe and sustainable way to dispose of scrap tires in Canada. Since then, Canada has achieved more than 100% recycling rates with all tires being responsibly disposed and turned into value-added products (see Canadian Association of Tire Recycling Agencies).

Over the past three decades the Association has built expertise and clout in the fields of substantiality and end-of-life tire management. The Association expertise comes from working with governments and stakeholders on provincial environmental regulations and supporting launches of several provincial end-of-life tire stewardship programs and organizations, including Tire Stewardship Manitoba, Tire Stewardship BC and eTracks Tire Management Systems in Ontario. The Association serves on several provincial stewardship boards and continues to work nationally and internationally on vital issues in the areas of ELT management and environmental protection. The Association continues to work with its members and regulators to determine and establish the most effective end-of-life tire management solutions for the Canadian market. 

To showcase the tire industry’s accumulated knowledge in ELT management, recycling, and sustainability, the Association holds biennial Rubber Recycling Symposium, an event where the tire industry, scientists, engineers, rubber recyclers, and regulators come together to discuss and share knowledge and network. The event has become one of the largest end-of-life tire management and sustainability events in the world.