RHODE ISLAND SCRAP TIRE BRIEFING SHEET
Tires are regulated by RIGL 37-15.1 "Litter Control, Recycling and Hard-to-Dispose-of Materials", passed in 1989. The law imposes a $0.50 per passenger tire tax at the wholesale level, effective January 1, 1990. Revenues from the tire tax will be deposited in the state hard-to-dispose fund along with monies generated from surcharges on other "hard-to-dispose-of material" waste included in the bill.

In 1992, RIGL 23-63, "Vehicle Tire Storage and Recycling" was passed and became effective on January 1, 1993; the provisions of which:

· impose a $1.25 fee on each tire, collected by the dealer;
· regulate the size of piles and imposes operational standards;
· require facilities storing more than 400 tires to obtain a license from the RIDEM;
· establish license requirements and fees for tire recycling/recovery business;
· include provisions for enforcement and for promulgating rules and regulation; and
· direct the DEQ to identify approved methods of recycling and reuse of waste tires.

MAJOR MARKETS
Virtually all scrap tires in Rhode Island are transported to the Exeter Energy facility or to one of the pulp and paper mills in Maine.

STATE CONTACT
Christopher Shafer
Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street
Providence, RI 02908-5767
Phone: (401) 222-2771
E-mail: christopher.shafer@dem.ri.gov
RI General Info