Theriault proposes solution for used tires: put them on our

Digby MLA Harold Junior Theriault has passed a resolution in the legislature that urges the government to investigate the use of rubberized asphalt on Nova Scotia’s highways.

Rubberized asphalt consists of regular asphalt paving mixed with ground and used tires, known as crumb rubber.

Theriault says putting used tires on our highways makes a lot more sense than burning them, as a company in Brookfield, Nova Scotia is hoping to do. LaFarge recently won a provincial government tender to recycle the province’s used tires and plans to burn them for energy at its cement plant.

“The government should be moving forward with better and more

environmentally-friendly initiatives,” says Theriault. “The

Resource Recovery Fund Board was created to ensure the people of Nova

Scotia receive the maximum environmental benefits associated with responsible solid waste management. The Department of Environment and Labour is responsible for the air quality standards and must enforce these regulations to keep our environment and air clean.”

Theriault says the people of Nova Scotia deserve better and he has an environmentally sustainable plan to recycle the province’s tires. The one kilometre of highway in his riding that was applied with stripped rubber, he says, is evidence that the process would work on the province’s highway system.

“I invite anybody to come to Digby and look at this piece of road…at

South Range Cross Road,” he said during debate in the legislature. “We have about 200 miles of road in Digby-Annapolis – dirt road. We will take every tire that this province has in Digby and Annapolis and put them in our roads. That is what we are willing to do because we have got proof of one kilometre that has made a beautiful little piece of road.”

Other areas of North America such as Arizona and California have been using rubberized asphalt since 1988. Research and noise tests show a reduction in noise levels of between 50 and 75 per cent verses asphalt without crumb rubber.

“Approximately 1,500 tires are used for every lane mile of rubberized paving, that is 900,000 tires in this province that we could put into 600 miles of paving in this province every year,” Theriault said. “Using tires for our highways is a great way to recycle our tires. It’s certainly a better option than burning them.”