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Hertz Launches US Tire Recycling Push

11/12/2012
SustainableBusiness.com News

Hertz Corp. is teaming up with Liberty Tire Recycling to create the first nationwide tire recycling program in the US car rental industry.

Liberty (the largest tire recycler in North America) will collect an estimated 160,000 used tires annually from Hertz, the second biggest US rental car company.

Those tires will be diverted from landfills and used as feedstock for a wide range of products:

Mulch for landscaping and garden applications that is non-allergenic and resistant to mold, fungus growth or insect infestation
Mats and playground safety surfaces
Composite crossties for railroad tracks, which replace hardwood ties that use toxic preservatives, with a solution that lasts longer and allows for heavier loads, faster train speeds and more safety.
Rubberized asphalt for highways that are quieter, last longer and use much less paving material than traditional asphalt (it takes up to 8,000 tires for each lane mile of pavement)

The recycling program is the latest in a string of corporate sustainability commitments by Hertz.

In July, the company announced an extensive commitment to on-site solar energy – with a pledge to install the PV arrays on as many US locations as possible. It already has 900 solar panels at its global headquarters in Park Ridge, New Jersey. By the end of 2012, its total capacity should be 3 megawatts (MW).

Hertz is making a significant commitment to electric vehicles, and already includes the Nissan Leaf, Chevy Volt and Mitsubishi iMiev in its rental fleet. The company is testing wireless EV charging through a pilot program with Plugless Power.