Old tires in Tennessee are getting a new lease on life, thanks to a generous grant aimed at empowering sustainability in the local community. The Hands-On Science Center in Tullahoma has been awarded $35,552 by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) as part of the state's Tire Environmental Act Program. The grant was announced earlier this week and will be used to develop the Eco-Explorer Zone, a space dedicated to eco-friendly outdoor activities.
In a push to build a greener future, the Science Center will match the grant with its fund-raising of $8,800. These resources are earmarked for constructing an outdoor area made with approximately 1,200 scrap tires, reimagined into a rubber mulch playground and a vertical tire climbing structure. The total project costs are billed at $44,403, according to the TDEC announcement.
The initiative is not just about play areas but also about education in recycling and sustainability. "The Tire Environmental Act Program provides ways to retrieve old tires and repurpose them into community assets," TDEC Deputy Commissioner Greg Young stated, as reported by the TDEC. The Science Center plans to leverage their quarterly newsletter and exhibits to teach visitors about the benefits of recycling.
This isn't the first time the Center has embarked on eco-friendly projects. Last year, they expanded their outdoor facilities, also funded by the tire grant. Tennessee's commitment to environmental initiatives like these began in 2015 with the establishment of the Tire Environmental Fund. Retailers assess a fee on the first sale of a new motor vehicle, generating revenue that goes directly towards innovative trash-to-treasure projects.
Since the inception of the fund, almost $9.2 million in grants have been awarded, shifting around 7.6 million tires—or about 82,000 tons—from potential landfill waste to useful materials in various industries. These tires have found second lives in applications ranging from rubberized asphalt to porous flexible pavement. The Eco-Explorer Zone at the Hands-On Science Center is set to be the latest addition to the state's ongoing environmental stewardship efforts.
