VANCOUVER - Tire Stewardship BC (TSBC), the association responsible for operating and managing the province's scrap tire recycling program, is now accepting applications for its 2012 Community Grant Program.
The Community Grant Program provides matching funds up to a maximum of $30,000 for not-for-profit organizations, schools, municipalities etc. that use B.C. recycled rubber in their projects. The closing date for applications is April 13.
The majority of tires collected under TSBC's program are recycled into consumer and industrial products, providing numerous economic, employment and environmental benefits right here in B.C.
More than 50 million vehicle tires have been recycled in the province since 1991, when the scrap tire-recycling program was launched. The fall 2011 edition of the Community Grant Program kept over half a million pounds of tires out of B.C. landfills by contributing a total of $556, 318 towards the use of crumb rubber in community projects throughout the province.
Applications of recycled B.C. rubber include:
• Playgrounds - Completely wheelchair accessible and provide safety by cushioning falls, allowing people of all ages and abilities to participate fully and experience the joy of physical activity and play.
• Sidewalks and Trails - Provides cushioning support that is more comfortable for walking and jogging, is friendly to plant root systems and is water permeable. It is also easily maintained and installed.
• Outdoor Fitness Parks - Rubber pavement cushions fitness station areas and provides residents with easy access.
• Water Parks - Water permeability and a soft surface make BC recycled rubber an excellent choice for spray parks and pools.
• Athletic tracks - Running tracks made from recycled rubber offer significant advantages over other track surfaces, including reduced stress on a runner's legs.
• Synthetic Turf Fields - Sports fields that use crumb rubber particles as infill material increase the resiliency of the field, resulting in cost efficient, low maintenance surfaces that can be used in all weather conditions. The Synthetic Turf Council estimates that the total amount of synthetic turf installed in North America conserves more than three billion gallons of water each year.
Visit www.tirestewardshipbc.ca for more information.