During the kick-off of Canada’s 20th annual Waste Reduction Week on Oct. 18, Western Rubber Products (WRP) based in Delta, British Columbia, celebrated the ongoing success of its service model, which recycles over 5 million tires annually—contributing to Canada’s circular economy.
WRP, a division of Pittsburgh-based Liberty Tire Recycling, recently recycled its 100-millionth tire in the province. “Every tire we handle is a tire that is kept out of B.C.’s landfills and our natural environment, with materials repurposed into innovative, new, and useful products,” says Neil Bansal, WRP regional vice president. “As the province’s primary tire recycler, we’re the only company with the critical mass necessary to handle both the pickup and the processing of millions of tires every year at the end of their roadworthy life.”
Working under the nonprofit Tire Stewardship BC in compliance with the province’s Recycling Regulation, WRP has been British Columbia’s primary collector and recycler of used tires since 1989. The company handles every type of car and truck tire, ranging from off-road to giant mining truck tires, at its locations in Delta and Chemainus, British Columbia. The crumb rubber WRP makes is used to create products including agricultural mats, truck bed liners, and gym mats.
“Innovation is at the forefront for WRP as it invests in cutting-edge products for repurposed tires and supports the equipment required to get each job done,” states Ravi Kahlon, British Columbia’s minister of jobs, economic recovery, and innovation.
WRP notes that 15% of a tire’s composition is wire, so in addition to recycling rubber, the steel industry also gains recycled material from the company’s work.
Photo courtesy of Liberty Tire Recycling. Caption: Leaders from British Columbia join Western Rubber Products in celebrating the company’s 100th millionth tire recycled in the province.
