PRESS RELEASE
from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy

For more information,contact
Carla Felix (402) 471-4223,
Amanda Woita (402) 471-4243,
Nathanael Urie (402) 471-4245, or
For Immediate Release
May 4, 2010

$1 Million Awarded For Tire Collection, Recycling Projects

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Director Mike Linder announced today that the state is awarding $1 million to support 52 tire recycling and cleanup projects across the state.

"Nebraskans pay a $1 fee for every new tire they purchase," said Linder. "These grants put that money into use locally to help manage scrap tires. We like to see the highest possible beneficial use of these old tires, and these projects help us reach that goal."

Nebraskans generate over one and a half million scrap tires each year, about one tire for every person in the state. The grants awarded today will reimburse individuals and organizations for crumb rubber and equipment purchases, and will help prevent public health and environmental problems by eliminating tire piles, Linder said.

The grants are part of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Grants program, which is administered by NDEQ. The grants support both the collection of scrap tires and the purchase of new tire-derived products. 2010 grant recipients include:

  • Elkhorn Public Schools was awarded $81,462.50 to pay 25% of the cost of an artificial turf surface for the football/soccer field for Elkhorn South High School, using 312,500 pounds of crumb rubber made from recycled scrap tires.
  • Doniphan-Trumbull Public School was awarded $21,013.11 to pay 25% of the cost of an athletic running track surface using 80,242 pounds of crumb rubber made from recycled scrap tires.
  • Lexington Public Schools was awarded $38,093 to pay 50% of the cost of 267,150 pounds of crumb rubber made from recycled scrap tires to be placed under playground structures throughout the school district.
  • Local scrap tire collection events - $215,546.13 was awarded to 13 political subdivisions to conduct scrap tire collections this year. Funds have been made available to clean up 2,757.5 tons of scrap tires from individuals, farms, and businesses. The tires will be converted into crumb rubber for playground surfaces, running tracks, artificial turf surfaces, and rubber -modified asphalt. They will also be processed into shreds for daily cover at landfills, and for use in leachate collection systems and around septic tank laterals. Other scrap tires will be hauled to scrap tire landfills outside of Nebraska.

Below is a listing of the 2010 Waste Reduction and Recycling Tire Grants.

Applicant Name
Project Description
Amount Awarded
Adams Co Hwy Dept (Juniata)
7.5-ton scrap tire cleanup
$943.50
Alliance, City of
500-ton scrap tire cleanup
$36,552.63
Axtell Community School
50% crumb rubber; 25% border blocks
$9,326.31
Beatrice Mary Family YMCA (Beatrice)
50% crumb rubber for playground
$25,592.55
Broken Bow, City of - Parks Dept
25% of 4 picnic tables
$521.50
Bruckman Rubber Co (Hastings)
50% crumb rubber for manufacturing
$1,202.87
Daykin, Village of
25% border blocks; 50% crumb rubber
$4,585.50
Doniphan-Trumbull Public School
25% athletic running track surface
$21,013.11
DuBois, Village of (Pawnee Co)
40-ton scrap tire cleanup
$3,236.00
ESU #3 (Brook Valley School-Omaha)
50% crumb rubber
$1,522.75
ESU #7(Columbus)
25% bench
$69.75
Elkhorn Public Schools
25% artificial turf surface
$81,462.50
Faith Lutheran School (Lincoln)
50% crumb rubber
$1,369.40
Fillmore Co Board of Supervisors (Geneva)
200-ton scrap tire cleanup
$15,530.50
Freeman Public School (Adams)
50% crumb rubber for playground
$3,842.50
City of Fremont
25% mats for playground
$5,366.25
Furnas Co (Beaver City)
200-ton scrap tire cleanup
$18,828.00
Gage Co (Beatrice)
300-ton scrap tire cleanup
$22,080.00
Hamilton Co Hwy Dept (Aurora)
250-ton scrap tire cleanup
$19,823.00
Johnson - Brock Athletic Club (Johnson)
50% crumb rubber on natural grass
$8,125.35
Johnson Co (Tecumseh)
60-ton scrap tire cleanup
$5,408.00
Keep Alliance Beautiful
50% crumb rubber landscaping mulch
$7,555.25
Keep Beatrice Beautiful
25% bench
$49.44
Kidz Korner (Hartington)
50% crumb rubber for playground
$1,325.00
Lexington Public School
50% crumb rubber for playground
$38,093.00
Little Blue NRD (Davenport - 3 county)
250-ton scrap tire cleanup (Thayer, Nuckolls, Clay)
$20,028.00
Lincoln Midget Football, Inc. (Lincoln)
50% crumb rubber on natural grass
$5,573.10
Lower Elkhorn NRD (West Point - 8 county)
300-ton scrap tire cleanup (8 N.E. counties)
$21,638.00
Lower Elkhorn NRD (Madison)
100-ton scrap tire cleanup
$8,746.00
Lower Republican NRD (3 sites)
200-ton scrap tire cleanup - Red Cloud, Hildreth, Alma
$17,000.00
Minatare Public Schools
50% crumb rubber for playground
$8,550.00
Nebraska City, City of
50% crumb rubber for landscaping at library
$1,295.52
Nebraska City Public Schools
25% athletic track surface
$21,500.00
Neligh, City of (Antelope Co)
50% crumb rubber mulch
$2,286.40
Neligh, City of (Antelope Co)
350-ton scrap tire cleanup
$25,732.50
Odell Area Community Enrichment (Odell)
25% border blocks
$596.75
Palmyra Dist. OR-1 Schools-Bennet Elemenatary
50% crumb rubber for playground
$5,703.50
Plattsmouth Elementary School PTO (Plattsmouth)
25% mats; 50% crumb rubber
$2,614.92
Ralston Public Schools (Omaha)
50% crumb rubber for playground
$1,352.20
Ravenna, City of
50% crumb rubber for playground
$1,623.03
St. Edward, City of
50% crumb rubber for playground
$5,960.20
Sandhill Plastics (Kearney)
50% crumb rubber for manufacturing
$4,653.65
Schuyler Community Schools
50% crumb rubber for playground
$28,118.58
Southern Public Schools (Wymore)
50% crumb rubber for playground
$7,792.50
Southern Valley Schools Dist 540 - Oxford
50% crumb rubber for playground
$2,963.69
State Dept of Roads
Rubber modified asphalt on Hwy 2 Box Butte/Sheridan Counties
$277,000.00
State Dept of Roads
Rubber modified asphalt on Hwy 22 Genoa
$94,200.00
State Dept of Roads
Rubber modified asphalt on Hwy 64 Valley
$72,000.00
Syracuse, City of - Parks & Recreation
25% mats for playground
$5,521.50
Valentine, City of
25% picnic tables
$696.55
Wausa Public School
50% crumb rubber
$1,180.00
York Public Schools
25% athletic track surface
$22,248.75