Firestone

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
and Houston Police Department
Praise Firestone's Scrap Tire Management Practices

Company Unveils Incentive Program for Tire Resellers

Nashville, Tenn., September 21, 2000 -- Bridgestone/Firestone this month received high praise for its scrap tire management efforts from both the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Houston Police Department.

            Bridgestone/Firestone’s fact sheet for the “Recalled Scrap Tire Management Plan” -- which was developed to help the EPA understand the management of the increasing number of scrap tires resulting from the August 9^th voluntary recall of certain ATX, ATX II, and Wilderness AT tires -- was among the projects praised by Karl E. Bremer, Chief of the Region 5 Waste Management Branch of the EPA. "Sharing this information with environmental regulators throughout the U.S. will undoubtedly help clear up any misunderstandings that may result from such a massive effort," Bremer said.

            Similarly, the scrap tire management practices of many Firestone Tire and Service Centers in Houston were praised by Sgt. Michael Walsh of the Houston Police Department’s Environmental Investigations Unit. The goal of the Investigations Unit was to ensure that the tires entering the scrap tire system of Houston were managed properly. Describing the stores as "squeaky clean," Sgt. Walsh concluded that each Firestone Center knew who would be collecting its scrap tires and how they would be managed.   He was also impressed by the quality of record keeping at Firestone stores, finding that the disposition of the tires was readily available at each one. "The non-Firestone facilities that were investigated in conjunction with this project couldn’t hold a candle to Firestone’s facilities,” Walsh said.

            Last Monday, Bridgestone/Firestone also announced a program that will provide incentives to used tire resellers who arrange for voluntarily recalled tires to be returned to the company. The Bridgestone/Firestone Used Tire Return Program will pay a used tire dealer $10.00 per tire when the dealer completes an Inventory Return Form and the recalled tires are shipped back to Bridgestone/Firestone or are shredded at the tire reseller’s place of business.

            For many years, Bridgestone/Firestone has worked nationwide with tire recycling industries, state regulators, and municipalities to support tire recycling efforts. The company has a longstanding system in place to collect scrap tires and put them to environmentally friendly uses in all available markets. Bridgestone/Firestone tires are recycled into asphalt, cement, floor mats, soaker hoses, and molded rubber products. Additionally, the company’s shredded tires are used as a lightweight thermal insulation and stabilizing material for construction and drainage. Bridgestone/Firestone tires are also used for fuel in every region of the U.S., and the company continues to investigate other environmentally beneficial end uses for its recycled tires.

            Nashville, Tennessee-based Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., is the largest subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation of Japan, the world's largest tire and rubber manufacturer. Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., develops, manufactures, and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, Dayton, and private tire brands. The company also produces Firestone air springs, roofing materials, synthetic rubber, and textiles.