Receiving the Leadership in Conservation and Sustainability Award from the Rubberized Asphalt Foundation are, from left, Greg Lein, State Parks Director; Matthew Capps, Deputy State Parks Director; ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship; and Stephen Cobb, ADEM Land Division Chief. At right is Douglas Carlson, Vice President of Asphalt Products for Liberty Tire Recycling and a member of the Rubberized Asphalt Foundation Board of Directors. Photo credit: Billy Pope/ADCNR.
Receiving the Leadership in Conservation and Sustainability Award from the Rubberized Asphalt Foundation are, from left, Greg Lein, State Parks Director; Matthew Capps, Deputy State Parks Director; ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship; and Stephen Cobb, ADEM Land Division Chief. At right is Douglas Carlson, Vice President of Asphalt Products for Liberty Tire Recycling and a member of the Rubberized Asphalt Foundation Board of Directors. Photo credit: Billy Pope/ADCNR.
Alabama State Parks, Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) received a national award for their efforts in using recycled tires for road paving projects.
The three were recognized with the Leadership in Conservation and Sustainability Award by the Rubberized Asphalt Foundation at the recent 2024 National Association of State Park Directors Conference.
The projects took place at roads and parking lots in Lake Guntersville, DeSoto and Joe Wheeler State Parks using more than 19,000 end-of-life tires.
They were funded primarily with an estimated $2 million from ADEM's Scrap Tire Fund used to remove scrap tires from illegal dumps, roadsides and other places.
“Improperly discarded old tires are an environmental hazard that can cause multiple problems,” said ADEM Director Lance LeFleur. “ADEM, working with our partners, is constantly looking for ways through various demonstration projects to create a market for old tires so they can be recycled rather than just thrown away."
"This award is recognition of that work and our partnership with ADCNR and State Parks. Our thanks to our partners and, of course, the Rubberized Asphalt Foundation for the award.”
A press release from ADEM said that recycled tires are better than traditional asphalt in that they last longer, are not as prone to potholes and improves fuel mileage among others.
“We have invested a lot of resources and effort to improve the campsites, cottages and other amenities at the parks,” said Conservation Commissioner Chris Blankenship. “The partnership with ADEM to use the rubber-modified asphalt to pave our roads complements what we have done and what we are continuing to do to upgrade these beautiful parks and make them even more appealing to our customers."
“Repurposing the old tires instead of sending them to a landfill is good for our environment and fits well with our sustainability initiatives in our State Parks. I appreciate the opportunities to work with ADEM to do good work in our beautiful state.”
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