Davis, Bent tout benefits of provincial tire shredding plant atop Fowlers Road

By Mark Squibb / June 9, 2023

The Province hopes to see some 500,000 tires recycled annually at a new facility in the heart of Conception Bay South’s industrial park.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Bernard Davis was joined by a number of guests Monday morning as he cut the ribbon on the new facility, the first of its kind in Newfoundland.

“Coastal Tire Recycling is providing us with an in-province solution for used tires in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Davis. “This is something we’ve been looking for a very long time, and we’re very excited that it is has arrived…. This is a major milestone for waste management in our province, and this facility is providing the province with a long-term sustainable recycling solution for our used tires, which, at the end of the day, has significant environmental and economic benefit.”

The Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB), an arm of the provincial government that deals in waste diversion, contracted Halifax C&D Recycling in 2022 to construct the facility, which will recycle tires into tire derived aggregate (TDA) by mechanically shredding tires onsite. TDA is used in the construction industry as lightweight fill, drainage and thermal insulation for backfilling.

“MMSB’s mandate is to advance the sustainable waste management in this province through the development of diversion programs and public education,” said MMSB Chairman Derm Flynn. “Used tire management is a cornerstone of the work that we do – which is divert waste from our landfills.”

Flynn said that to date, over 8.4 million used tires have been shipped out of province to be recycled — the equivalent of 230 million pounds — and counted the opening of the facility as one of MMSB’s biggest milestones.

“Proper disposal of tires will help extend the life of local waste management facilities, protect our landscapes, and conserve natural resources,” said Flynn. “Properly disposing of tires at home will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate the local economy.”

Prior to the opening of the facility, the MMSB has been shipping used tires to Quebec to be recycled into fuel.

Staff, of which there will be four, at Coastal Tire Recycling, located off Barley Road at the top of Fowlers Road, will be able to process up to 700 tires an hour. The facility will use two shredders, one of which is operational and the other which will be installed in the coming weeks, to create two different types of TDA.

The actual cost to the province to be paid to Coastal Tire Recycling to recycle the tires is not fixed annually, but is based on tonnes processed. Currently, the province spends about $3 million on the processing and transportation of tires annually. The processing is handled by Coastal Tire Recycling, while the transportation is contracted to Hebert’s Recycling Inc.

Bev Connell, Director, C & D Material Operations and Director of Coastal Tire Recycling, spoke briefly at the ceremonial opening.

“It was about a year ago when we found out we were going to be the successful bidder on tires in Newfoundland, and so it’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” said Connell. “And we wouldn’t have gotten here today without a lot of help from a lot of people.”

Connell listed a bevy of other companies contracted to work on the facility, and applauded the Town of CBS for approving the necessary construction permits and applications.

By way of example of uses of TDA, Connell noted the Government of Nova Scotia recently used nearly 100,000 recycled tires to maintain a portion of the TCH.

The final speaker of the day was Conception Bay South Mayor Darrin Bent.

“It’s always an exciting day here in Conception Bay South when we get to open the doors on a new business,” said Bent, who was joined at the press conference by councillors Rex Hillier and Joshua Barrett, as well as members of town staff.

“On behalf of the Town of Conception Bay South, I want to acknowledge how proud we are to have been chosen as the homebase that represents a key milestone in sustainable waste management for our province,” said Bent. “As a coastal community with a deep-rooted farming heritage, sustainability is ingrained in our town’s core values. Conception Bay South’s longstanding commitment to a greener future positions us well to attract new, environmentally conscious businesses, and the MMSB and Coastal Tire Recycling are leaders in that respect.”

The actual construction costs, which were not noted during the ceremony, would have fallen on C&D Recycling/Coastal Tire Recycling and not the provincial government.