Waste tires (also known as scrap) are generated at a rate of approximately one tire per person per year.1 The population of the northeast is approximately 63.1 million people. Therefore, the number of waste tires produced each year in the region is approximately the same number or about 63.1 million. Although today’s tires last for more miles than they did in the past, the number of cars on the road is increasing, and the average number of miles driven annually has also been increasing.

A relatively small percentage of the tires received at an automotive recycler can be reused or retreaded. The vast majority of the tires are waste tires and need to be either recycled or disposed of. Recycling is the preferred option. Waste tires can be used as fuel (i.e., tire-derived fuel or TDF) as well as in a variety of civil engineering applications in landfills, highways, playgrounds, horse arenas, and running tracks. Studies show that waste tires generally stay in or near their area of origin due to the high cost of transportation. The purpose of this review is to inform state officials, policy makers, and others about the current status of state tire regulations in the northeast as a basis for discussions about updates and improvements. The following sections summarize the available information on each of the states’ programs. The Appendix provides an overview of northeast states’ tire requirements and programs.

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