News from Clean Tech Industry Leaders

Synthetic Turf in North America Conserves More Than Three Billion Gallons of Water, Recycles More Than 105 Million Tires

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA -- The Synthetic Turf Council recently announced that as of 2011, the estimated total amount of synthetic turf installed in North America conserves more than three billion gallons of water, significantly reduces smog emissions, eliminates close to a billion pounds of harmful fertilizers and pesticides, and recycles more than 105 million used tires. As the premier provider of tire recycling services in North America, Pittsburgh-based Liberty Tire Recycling, is pleased to be a part of this eco-friendly solution by manufacturing crumb rubber, an important component used in synthetic turf.

"Synthetic turf is an excellent investment for the environment," said Jeffrey Kendall, CEO of Liberty Tire Recycling. "It provides an outlet for millions of scrap tires and helps to keep these tires out of the waste stream. We hope that the work and research the Synthetic Turf Council performs will help to increase awareness about the numerous benefits synthetic turf can provide for our environment and our communities."

Crumb rubber derived from recycled tires enhances the performance of a variety of sports surfaces, providing infill for sports fields and paving for running tracks. Crumb rubber adds cushioning and springiness to protect athletes. And surfaces made from crumb rubber dry quickly, drain excess moisture, reduce dust and mud, and minimize freezing.

Liberty Tire has supplied the crumb rubber for numerous synthetic turf fields across North America including: The University of Pittsburgh, Harvard University, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Michigan and Ohio State University. The rubberization of athletic surfaces offers many benefits to help prevent injuries and reduce stress on leg muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints. The specially designed infill with dust free rubber granules prevent "flyout," "splashing," and migration of the base so that traction, drainage and shock absorption are maximized.

Synthetic turf positively impacts the environment by:

-  Conserving more than three billion gallons of water.

-  Eradicating the use of almost a billion pounds of pesticides and fertilizers.

-  Lowering consumption of energy, raw materials and solid waste generation.

-  Keeping more than 105 million used tires out of landfills.

-  Preventing smog and noxious emissions.

-  Reducing grass clippings.

Liberty Tire Recycling reclaims more than 110 million tires annually throughout the U.S. and Canada, creating about 1.5 billion pounds of recycled rubber for smart, sustainable products. For more information about Liberty Tire Recycling, visit www.libertytire.com.