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Q: Environmental programs of tire companies ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   1 Comment )
Question  
Subject: Environmental programs of tire companies
Category: Business and Money
Asked by: santabarbara-ga
List Price: $20.00
Posted: 23 Jul 2006 21:01 PDT
Expires: 22 Aug 2006 21:01 PDT
Question ID: 748900
What are the following companies doing regarding tire scrappage,
recycling, ecology, the environment and any "green" programs they
have. The companies are Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear and
Continental.
Answer  
Subject: Re: Environmental programs of tire companies
Answered By: bobbie7-ga on 24 Jul 2006 00:02 PDT
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
Hello Santabarbara!

Below you will find the results of my research regarding Michelin,
Bridgestone, Goodyear and Continental and the environment.

========
Goodyear 
========

Goodyear gets mascot for recycling program 
Spreads awareness through music, parties

?Donning a floppy, orange wig and wheeling a recycling bin in front of
him, Curby and his band, the Collectors, crooned a catchy tune about
recycling to the Goodyear City Council.?

?"We've got three R's we're going to talk about today," sang Curby,
played by city information technology specialist Chris Fidler. "We've
got to learn to reduce, reuse, recycle."

The song, The 3 R's, comes from the Curious George movie soundtrack
performed by Jack Johnson.?

The Arizona Republic: Jul. 15, 2006 
http://www.azcentral.com/community/swvalley/articles/0715swv-recycle15Z5.html


?Goodyear evaluates all potential waste by the 3-R principle that
focuses first on reduction, then reuse and finally recycling before
sending any material to a landfill. Since landfill waste historically
has had a significant environmental impact - due to the loss of
reusable resources and the potential contamination that may result
from landfilled materials - Goodyear prioritizes the reduction in the
amount of waste that it sends to landfills. Since 2001, Goodyear has
globally reduced by 31 percent the amount of landfilled waste per ton
of product. In addition, Goodyear assures that all waste management is
conducted in an appropriate manner through a vigorous Waste Vendor
Audit program.?
http://www.goodyear.com/ehs/env_footprint.html


See Goodyear?s  Environmental, Health and Safety Policy
http://www.goodyear.com/ehs/policy.html


Managing scrap tire uses
 
?But when tires come to the end of their useful lives, Goodyear
actively promotes global programs to assure environmentally
responsible management of scrap tires. Nearly 80 percent of all scrap
tires are recycled or recovered for other uses a rate higher than
paper, plastic, cardboard or aluminum recycling.?

(?)

?Goodyear is a member of several organizations that support proper
scrap tire management, research and development for non-traditional
uses. Goodyear has joined trade associations as well as national and
manufacturer organizations in the United States, Canada, Brazil,
Venezuela and 25 European countries that facilitate scrap tire
management.?
 
http://www.goodyear.com/corporate/about/environment/03-ehs/environment.html

Goodyear Tire and Rubber 

?Since the 1970s Goodyear has been working to develop uses for both
whole used tires as well as the components within.?

?The whole tires can be used as artificial reefs, dams, highway impact
barriers and breakwaters, as well as in childrens' playgrounds. The
most promising emerging market for scrap tires is energy. Tires have
about 40 percent more energy value per pound than coal and an energy
value equal to oil. The energy released by the combustion of one
passenger tire is equal to almost two gallons of oil. Other products
from scrap tires include floor mats, seat belt covers, dock bumpers
and asphalt paving.?

Industrial Ecology Innovations
http://web.archive.org/web/20040204224808/http://www.newenvironmentalism.org/ecology_info.cfm?ID=12


========
Michelin
========

Material recovery
?Michelin considers non-reusable end-of-life tires to be recyclable
items and is doing its utmost to change their image as waste, by
developing their reuse in various forms.?
  
Whole tires 
?These are used as filling material for roads, retaining structures,
noise-abatement walls and as shock absorbers along jetties and
quaysides.?

Cut tires 
?Cut tires are widely used as a supporting layer for rail tracks to
reduce noise and vibration.?
 
Shredded tires 
?In shredded form, they are mainly used as draining sub-layers or as
light filling material in road construction.?
 
Granulate and powder 
?When ground into a granulate or powder, tires are used to make molded
objects such as refuse containers and golf cart wheels. The powdered
form can also be used to make surfaces for sports activities:
stadiums, playground surfaces, etc.  Similarly, the addition of
powdered rubber to road surfaces helps to reduce tire/road contact
noise and increase the life span of the surface.?
 
http://www.michelin.com/corporate/front/templates/affich.jsp?codeRubrique=92&codePage=PAG_VOIES_VAL&lang=EN


Michelin and the environment
Recycling the used tire
http://www.michelin.com/corporate/front/templates/affich.jsp?codeRubrique=92&codePage=PAG_VAL_PNEU_USA&lang=EN


Michelin takes its responsibility to the environment very seriously:

?2001: Establishment of new central environmental department,
supported by a nucleus of experts and implemented by managers
worldwide
60 Michelin sites have been accredited ISO14001 certification 
Energy - fuel efficient tyre technology 
Sapphire Energy Recovery - worn tyre recycling 
Challenge Bibendum - developing sustainable mobility ?
http://www.michelin.co.uk/uk/front/affich.jsp?codeRubrique=13082004155159&lang=EN


Environment and Safety:
?We are committed to reducing the impact of our activities on the
environment as well as programs and activities that encourage
awareness for sustaining our environment. We also support programs
that demonstrate the importance of vehicle, tire and driving safety.?
http://www.michelin-us.com/communityrelations/philosophy.html


===========
Bridgestone
===========

?Minimizing the environmental impact of products and operations is a
core emphasis at all Bridgestone Group companies. We also develop new
kinds of products and technologies to help restore and maintain a
sound environmental balance.?

?Our Ecopia tires feature industry-leading advances in reducing
rolling resistance while maintaining reliable grip. We permit
fuel-saving weight reductions with our runflat passenger car tires,
which eliminate the need for carrying a spare tire, and with our
GREATEC extrawide tires, which replace dual-tire configurations on
trucks and buses. Another environmental benefit of GREATEC tires is
the reductions that they permit in rubber consumption and scrap.?

?Systematic efforts at Bridgestone Group plants around the world are
raising energy efficiency and reducing industrial waste. In addition,
we are taking the lead in measures for recycling scrap tires. Those
measures include developing technologies for incinerating tires
cleanly to recover energy from them in cement kilns. Our recycling
efforts also include product applications--such as rubberized paving
materials--for scrap tires. Retreading services for truck and bus
tires and for aircraft tires are another way that Bridgestone Group
companies conserve resources.?

?The environment also is a big consideration in our product
development work in diversified operations. The functional films that
we supply for electric solar cells will help increase the availability
of clean energy.?

Recycled
?Bridgestone technology helps convert tires into useful fuel. Scrap
tires are the main fuel for an electrical generating facility at our
Tochigi Plant. With a Japanese producer of cement, we have developed
technology for burning tires cleanly as fuel in cement kilns. And we
have made the relevant patents available free of charge to interested
companies in Japan and elsewhere.?

Environmental
?The environment is a special focus of public-interest activities at
Bridgestone Group companies. For example, a group company in the
Americas donated a vast expanse of pristine wilderness--4,000 hectares
(10,000 acres)--to the state of Tennessee. That gift has ensured that
future generations will be able to experience nature "the way it was."
The Bridgestone/Firestone Trust Fund is an active participant in
beautification campaigns that mobilize businesses and employees in
neighborhood cleanups.?
http://www.bridgestone.co.jp/english/info/profile/bscb_e3.html

Bridgestone Australia Ltd. and the Environment

?The Bridgestone Tyre Factory has just received a certificate from an
international standards organisation that recognises our commitment to
the environment.?

?It is the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems. (ISO stands for
International Standards Organisation, they are the ones that give the
ticks symbol on products).?

Bridgestone cares for the environment. 

This includes: 
?Our tyre designs that have lower rolling resistance and use less fuel. 
noise reduction on equipment and exhausts from our factory. 
dust controls on factory equipment. 
water recycling and usage monitoring. 
recycling and reducing our waste. 
We have spent millions of dollars on equipment improvements in our
factory for the environment over the last decade.?
http://www.bridgestone.com.au/corporate/environment/environment.asp


Environmental Achievements

?Redirection of bag filter exhausts away from residential areas and
fitting of mufflers to reduce noise levels from equipment.

Installation of noise wall and muffler to reduce noise levels from equipment. 

Removal of all underground tanks and installation of contained process
oil tankfarm.

Installation of deodoriser perfume sprays to remove rubber smells. 

Installation of wetlands to purify all stormwater run-off from plant,
including gate to contain water on site. Wetland run-off is monitored
daily.

Trash racks to collect all rubbish before entering the wetlands.?
http://www.bridgestone.com.au/corporate/environment/achievements/index.asp


Since 1995, Bridgestone has spent over $4.6 million on environmental
improvements to its  Salisbury manufacturing plant, the only
Bridgestone tyre plant in Australia.
Read more here:
http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/bridgestone.html

Bridgestone/Firestone Gains Honors from Honda For Environmental Efforts And Quality

Winner of Prestigious Green Partner Award

?In a ceremony at the company?s Oklahoma City tire plant,
Bridgestone/Firestone North American Tire, LLC (BFNT) today received
its first Green Partner Award for environmental excellence and a
Quality Performance Award from Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc.
This marks the first time that one company has received both awards in
the same year, and is the first time a tire company has been named a
Green Partner recipient.?

July 30, 2003
http://www.bridgestoneamericas.com/news/index_enviro_news.asp?id=2003/030730b


===========
Continental
===========


Continental General Tire Uses State Grant to Enhance Recycling Research 
Tire Manufacturer Seeks Stable Supply, State Aims to Reduce Landfills,
Spur Business
2 August 1999
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/press/date/19990802/press027612.html


?To address the scrap tire problem at the design level, the North
Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources granted
Continental General Tire $1.2 million in 1999 to fund research to
design a tire that contains 25% recycled rubber without sacrificing
tire durability or driving performance.?
http://www.epa.gov/garbage/tires/grants.htm


?A business - government venture launched a year ago between the North
Carolina Department of Environmental Health and Natural Resources
(DENR) and Charlotte - based Continental General Tire (CGT) has
recycled more than 500,000 scrap tires to date in the production of
new passenger and light truck tires with recycled rubber content.?

(?)

?In the last year, CGT has been recycling at a rate that keeps 12
million pounds of scrap tires out of landfills, according to Ed
Morant, CGT director of materials/radial light truck development, tire
technology. "Our goal for the next twelve months is to increase that
rate of usage," he said.?
http://www.scraptirenews.com/99sept1.html

Environment - Status of certification
http://www.conti.de/generator/www/com/en/continental/portal/themes/esh/status_of_certification_en/status_of_certification_en.html

"Michelin and Continental General Tire currently produce a tire that
contains 5 percent recycled content"
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/LGLibrary/Innovations/Tires/LocalGov.htm



Search terms:
Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear Continental 
Recycling OR environment OR environmental OR ecology OR scrap

I hope the information provided is helpful!


Best regards,
Bobbie7
santabarbara-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars and gave an additional tip of: $10.00
Perfect!

Comments  
Subject: Re: Environmental programs of tire companies
From: bobbie7-ga on 25 Jul 2006 21:14 PDT
 
Hi Santabarbara!

Thank you very much for the five stars and generous tip.

Best wishes,
Bobbie7

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