The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled a new proposal on Friday aimed at eliminating millions of abandoned tires scattered across the country. The plan focuses on neutralizing the health and safety risks tied to massive tire piles by officially reclassifying how the scrap can be used for energy.
Currently, an estimated 48 million tires are sitting in abandoned heaps across at least 23 states and Tribal lands. These sites are often criticized for being eyesores, but the EPA notes they pose more serious threats as potential fire hazards and breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other disease-carrying animals.
To speed up the cleanup process, the agency’s new rule would allow whole abandoned tires to be used as a “non-waste fuel” in cement kilns. By treating these tires as a viable fuel source rather than just trash, the EPA hopes to encourage industries to clear out existing piles faster while recovering energy in the process.
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“Abandoned tire piles across the U.S. pose a threat to the health and safety of Americans, but this waste stream can be and should be responsibly and carefully addressed to make America both healthy and energy dominant again,” said Thomas Croci, Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management. He described the move as a “commonsense approach” to managing the waste stream.
Under the proposal, established tire collection programs would be able to manage all scrap tires used for fuel under a single, streamlined set of rules. This change is intended to simplify the logistics for states and local communities struggling with the costs of remediation.
The public now has a chance to weigh in on the plan. The EPA will be accepting formal comments on the proposal for the next 60 days, with the feedback window closing on May 22, 2026.
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