The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, known as CalRecycle, is a department within the California Environmental Protection Agency. CalRecycle provides training and ongoing support for Local Enforcement Agencies, which regulate and inspect California’s active and closed solid waste landfills, as well as materials recovery facilities, solid waste transfer stations, compost facilities, and more. The permitting and inspection processes help CalRecycle fulfill its mission to protect the health and safety of Californians and the environment. 

CalRecycle has a goal to increase the diversion of waste tires from landfills. One way that CalRecycle hopes to achieve this goal is by promoting the use of tire-derived aggregate (TDA) in civil engineering applications. TDA is a lightweight and highly permeable aggregate made from used scrap tires. Currently, California generates more than 40 million waste tires per year. TDA is a  cost-efficient fill that can be used for road slide repair, embankment repair, retaining walls, vibration mitigation for light rail tracks, and many other applications. Since TDA is made from recycled tires, it’s also a sustainable product that diverts millions of used tires from landfills. CalRecycle encourages the use of TDA in California through several programs:

• CalRecycle provides engineering and technical assistance to local jurisdictions for education, design, and construction oversight on TDA projects in California.
• CalRecycle has a TDA grant program to provide assistance to local governments to fund TDA projects.

A CalRecycle representative will provide the Committee with a presentation on the program and address any questions from members.