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TIRE WASTE

California generates over 40 million reusable and waste tires each year. An estimated 1.5 million waste tires already exist statewide, presenting significant health and environmental risks. As part of an effort to reduce tire waste, the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) initiated a public education campaign in 2006 to increase proper tire maintenance and disposal. The Tire Sustainability Campaign, currently being piloted in San Francisco and Fresno Counties by Ogilvy Public Relations, promotes regular tire maintenance, the purchase of long-lasting tires, proper tire disposal, and other waste reduction practices. The program was initiated as part of a larger effort to meet tire waste mandates established by the California Recycling Act of 1989 and Senate Bill 876 in 2000.

To help evaluate the impact of the Tire Sustainability Campaign and to guide the development of the program, Gomez Research, in a joint venture with the Applied Management & Planning Group, conducted a telephone survey to measure increases in: (1) the proportion of residents aware of proper tire maintenance practices and benefits; and (2) the proportion of residents who regularly maintain their tires or otherwise reduce tire waste. Baseline findings will be used to refine the social marketing campaign and to compare changes in awareness and behavior over time.