The Smith County Board of Education is setting the stage for safer and more sustainable play with a substantial grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), aimed at repurposing old tires into new playground surfaces. As detailed in a recent announcement, the $313,906 grant, which is a part of the state’s Tire Environmental Act Program, will be utilized across seven district schools. This initiative aligns with Tennessee’s broader effort to turn environmental challenges into community treasures, with the Board providing additional funds of $78,476 to complete the project.

According to a statement from TDEC Deputy Commissioner Greg Young, “The Tire Environmental Act Program provides ways to retrieve old tires and repurpose them into community assets.” These playground improvements meet necessary safety standards and are expected to significantly cut back on the schools’ maintenance costs, as rubber mulch, unlike wood mulch, has a longer lifespan and does not need to be replenished as often.

The project comes with a hefty tag of $392,382, and will involve installing rubber mulch on 18 playgrounds along with one picnic area. The combined surfaces will use up around 680 tons of rubber mulch, which is the equivalent to giving new life to about 62,000 scrap tires. This move not only aids in environmental conservation but also provides a practical solution for the perennial issue of waste tire disposal.

The establishment of the Tire Environmental Fund in 2015 has played a critical role in financing such environmental projects. Funded by a fee assessed on the first retail sale of a vehicle, meant to be titled and registered in Tennessee, the program aims at encouraging, the repurposing of waste tires into valuable materials, rather than letting them accumulate in landfills. Whether it be in the form of rubberized asphalt, tire-derived fuel, or playground mulch, these creative end-uses showcase an innovative and pragmatic approach to waste management.

Since the inception of the grant program, nearly $9.2 million has been allotted to various recipients. This fiscal injection has led to the diversion of around 7.6 million tires – or nearly 82,000 tons of scrap tires – from landfills, turning what would be ecological burdens into beneficial assets for communities throughout Tennessee.