Latest news with #tires
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Electric Vehicle Tires Market worth $27.63 billion by 2032
DELRAY BEACH, Fla., July 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global electric vehicle tires market size is projected to grow from USD 11.21 billion in 2025 to USD 27.63 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 13.6%., according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The market's growth is driven by surging electric vehicle adoption across the passenger and commercial segments, necessitating tires with higher load capacity and optimized rolling resistance. OEMs are increasingly integrating EV-specific tires as standard fitments, enhancing demand. Advancements in tire technology, such as low-noise compounds and smart features, further support EV efficiency and safety. Government incentives and tightening emission norms also accelerate the shift toward electric mobility, indirectly fueling tire market growth. Download an Illustrative overview: Browse in-depth TOC on "Electric Vehicle Tires Market" 276 - Tables 75 - Figures 312 - Pages The passenger cars segment is projected to account for the largest share during the forecast period Switch Auto Insurance and Save Today! Affordable Auto Insurance, Customized for You The Insurance Savings You Expect Great Rates and Award-Winning Service By vehicle type, the passenger cars segment is projected to account for the largest share during the forecast period. Increasing focus on reducing CO2 emissions from passenger cars is driving the demand for electric vehicle tires among several automotive manufacturers. Hence, tire manufacturers work closely with automakers to develop and provide electric vehicle tires. For example, in May 2025, Pirelli & C. SpA launched the P Zero Fifth Generation tire, engineered for electric vehicles with AI-driven tread patterns and low rolling resistance for extended range, and the Cinturato Summer Tire, targeting luxury EVs with top wet grip and noise reduction ratings. These launches support Pirelli's 12% volume growth target for 2025 and strengthen partnerships with leading global electric vehicle makers. In February 2025, Michelin launched the e. Primacy All-Season tire, designed for EVs, hybrids, and ICE vehicles. The tire is up to 25% more efficient than competitors, extends EV range by up to 32 km (20 miles), and lasts up to 21,000 km (13,000 miles) longer than competitors. Features include GreenPower Compound for low energy consumption, Cushion Guard for comfort, and Piano Acoustic Technology for noise reduction. In February 2025, Hyundai and Michelin extended their R&D partnership to develop next-generation tires optimized for premium EVs, focusing on eco-design, use of renewable and recycled materials, tire performance for heavier EVs, and real-time tire monitoring systems. In February 2025, Bridgestone Corporation was selected by Porsche to supply custom-engineered Potenza Sport ultra-high-performance tires for the new Macan Electric and Panamera models. The latest Panamera model can also be equipped with tailor-made Blizzak LM005 winter tires, marking Bridgestone's first winter OE fitment for Porsche. This collaboration reinforces Bridgestone's role in premium, EV-compatible tyre development. The off-road segment is projected to exhibit the highest growth during the forecast period By application, the off-road segment is projected to achieve the highest electric vehicle tires market growth by 2032. The off-road application of electric vehicle tires includes heavy-duty trucks and construction. The construction industry has recently experienced rapid growth in developing economies, which has catalyzed the demand for off-road tires. Also, North America is the largest pick-up truck market for transporting goods and passengers. As a result, many vehicle manufacturers, such as Ford, Chevrolet, Rivian, and Tesla, are releasing electric pick-up trucks. The F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T pick-up truck, Silverado EV pick-up truck, and Tesla Cybertruck are among the few models offering off-road applications. This growing availability of electric trucks will boost the demand for off-road electric vehicle tires. Additionally, many fleet owners providing vehicles at construction and mining sites are being educated regarding the long-term benefits of using electric vehicles and their tires. Hindustan Zinc Limited, an Indian mining and resource production company, has added the Normet Agitator SmartDrive EV into its underground mining operations. There is an increasing need for high-quality electric vehicle tires with excellent durability and better grip for all terrains. Therefore, many key tire manufacturers are investing heavily in this segment and launching off-road capable tires. For example, in April 2025, Pirelli & C. SpA launched the Scorpion XTM AT, an all-terrain tire designed for EVs and ICE trucks, with initial rollout focused on EV applications. Available in 37 sizes for wheels from 17" to 24", the tire expands Pirelli's Scorpion family, emphasizing performance and comfort for electric SUVs and trucks. In January 2025, Michelin and Beontag expanded their partnership to integrate RFID technology into millions of new commercial and passenger tires over the next two years. The RFID-enabled tires will provide full lifecycle traceability, support for predictive maintenance, and compliance with new sustainability regulations. Similarly, in September 2024, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company 2025 showcased the new EQMAX and EQMAX ULTRA tire range, both Electric Drive Ready and made with up to 55% sustainable materials. These tires offer up to 20% better mileage and 6% improved rolling resistance versus previous models, targeting commercial fleets and EVs. The tour also highlights Goodyear's Tires-as-a-Service and TPMS Connect solutions for fleet efficiency and sustainability. Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: Germany is projected to dominate the European electric vehicle tires market during the forecast period Germany is projected to account for the largest market in Europe during the forecast period. The country is considered the hub of the automotive industry and the largest producer of passenger cars. Increasing sales of electric passenger cars are the key driving factor for electric vehicle tires in Germany. Advancements in the automotive industry in the country are another key factor impacting the growth of the electric vehicle tires market in the region. Additionally, increasing government initiatives to control carbon emissions are boosting the sales of electric vehicles in Europe, which will boost the electric vehicle tires market in the region. In February 2025, Continental AG launched the new Conti Eco HS 5 and Conti Efficient Pro HS 5 tire lines, specifically engineered for electric commercial vehicles. These tires feature higher load indices to support heavier EVs, reduced rolling resistance for increased range, and are developed in partnership with Designwerk Technologies. The new lines help optimize total cost of ownership (TCO) and support the electrification of commercial vehicle fleets in Europe. In March 2025, Kumho Tire Co., Inc. announced an investment of USD 750 million to build its first European factory (targeted for 2027) to capitalize on the electric vehicle market. It introduced EnnoV, an EV-dedicated tire with enhanced quietness, aiming for 150,000 units sold in 2025 and targeting up to 35% of total sales from EV tires. In June 2024, at the Tire Cologne, Kenda showcased its entire automotive product range and announced the development of an all-season electric vehicle tire for the European market. The new tire will focus on smaller SUVs and passenger cars, meeting all EV requirements, including higher weight carrying abilities, lower rolling resistance, and lower noise levels. Key Market Electric Vehicle Tires Industry: Prominent players in the Electric Vehicle Tires Companies include as Michelin (France), Bridgestone Corporation (Japan), The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Corporation (US), Continental AG (Germany), and Pirelli & C. SpA (Italy), Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (Japan), among others. Related Reports: Electric Vehicle Market Automotive Green Tires Market OTR Tires Market Get access to the latest updates on Electric Vehicle Tires Companies and Electric Vehicle Tires Industry Growth About MarketsandMarkets™: MarketsandMarkets™ has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets™ is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe. Today, 80% of Fortune 2000 companies rely on MarketsandMarkets, and 90 of the top 100 companies in each sector trust us to accelerate their revenue growth. With a global clientele of over 13,000 organizations, we help businesses thrive in a disruptive ecosystem. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion in new revenue streams that are replacing existing ones within this decade. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines – TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we collaborate with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies to keep them future-ready. Our insights and strategies are powered by industry experts, cutting-edge AI, and our Market Intelligence Cloud, KnowledgeStore™, which integrates research and provides ecosystem-wide visibility into revenue shifts. To find out more, visit or follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn and Facebook . Contact:Mr. Rohan SalgarkarMarketsandMarkets™ INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445USA: +1-888-600-6441Email: sales@ Our Website: Logo: View original content: SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
Auto Blog
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Pirelli's Latest High-Performance Tire Is 70% Recycled Materials – But Only Available For One Car
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. A spin in the right direction While drivers tend to overlook tires until they need to be replaced, companies like Pirelli obsess over them. Constantly improving and iterating, Pirelli is now introducing a tire to market that features nearly three-quarters recycled components, suggesting that the future of high-performance tires can utilize used materials without compromising performance. The downside is that, at least for its first recycled tire, Pirelli is limiting production to a single tire size, which was developed specifically for a single vehicle. It was also developed as an OEM tire, and it's unclear whether Pirelli will produce them for the aftermarket. Pirelli P Zero tire — Source: Pirelli All about the 70% recycled Pirelli P Zero This new tire is part of Pirelli's commitment to making all natural rubber used in its European factories Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified by 2026. The tire maker previously released an FSC-certified tire in 2021. FSC certification is specific to the rubber used in the tire, which has to be certified as natural rubber and is an attestation that Pirelli exercised 'responsible management' of its natural rubber supply chain from plantation to production. In addition to FSC-certified rubber, the new P Zero utilizes recycled steel, which the company reclaimed in part from melted scrap metal. Rice husk-derived silica was also used in the P Zero, as the silica is a byproduct of rice production and is used in the P Zero's tread for enhanced handling in wet conditions. End-of-life tires were also included. To make the tires black, Pirelli used pyrolysis oil from scrap tires, which is obtained via a process of rapid heating and cooling that essentially extracts the oils from the used tires. The same pyrolysis oil derivative was used in the tire polymers. Finally, plant-based bio-resins help optimize dry and wet performance for the new P Zero. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. If you want the new P Zero, you'll need a Range Rover Developed for JLR (Jaguar Land Rover), Pirelli states that the new tire will only be available in a 22-inch wheel size. The mostly-recycled P Zero will 'initially be available on selected' Range Rover vehicles, but it's unclear whether the tire will be an optional add-on for buyers or if it will be standard for Range Rovers with 22-inch wheels. It's not the first collaboration between JLR and Pirelli, either. In 2024, JLR equipped some of its cars with Pirelli tires that contained 110 percent FSC-certified natural rubber. The new P Zeros will feature FSC markings and a 'distinctive logo' denoting that the tires contain more than 50 percent bio-based recycled materials, which is verified by the third-party certification body Bureau Veritas. Range Rover Evoque — Source: Jaguar Land Rover Final thoughts There's no doubt Pirelli ran this tire through its paces, both virtually in its design and development phase as well as in real-world testing. If any company has mastered high-performance tire manufacturing, it's Pirelli. Even so, it's unclear how recycled materials will hold up over the long term, but if all goes well, we could be looking at a breakthrough in the future of tires. About the Author Nate Swanner View Profile
Motor 1
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
‘Do You Really Think I Need New Tires?:' Dealership Says Customer Needs New Tires. Here's How to Tell if Yours Are Worn Out
The masterminds behind an Alabama-area car dealership went viral on Facebook after sharing a cheeky video showing how to tell when it's time for new tires. Town & Country Ford (@AlabamaFord) posted the clip to its Facebook page in May, urging customers to bring their cars in for inspection if their tires are looking rough. In the video, a dealership employee poses the line, 'Do you really think I need new tires?' before the camera pans over to three men who all share one physical trait—they're bald. The joke might have gone over some viewers' heads, but for others, the message was clear: If your tires are worn down to the point that there's little to no tread left—much like a bald head—it's time to get them replaced. 'We think it's time to get some new tires,' the caption reads. 'Get yours at Town & Country Ford.' As of this writing, the video has racked up over 608,000 views. What Does It Mean If My Tires Are 'Bald'? When a tire is bald, it means the tread has worn down so much that there's barely any grip left. That grooved pattern is what helps your car stay on the road, especially in rain or snow. Tires have built-in wear bars that run across the tread. If the tread wears down to the same level as those bars, the tire is no longer safe. Anything at or below 2/32 of an inch is legally worn out. According to Bridgestone , the largest manufacturer of tires in the world, there's an easy way to check. Take a penny and insert it into one of the grooves with Lincoln's head facing down. If you can see the top of his head, the tread is too low, and the tire needs to go. You should also keep an eye out for cracks or deep cuts in the rubber, especially if they expose metal belts underneath. Bulges in the sidewall or tread are another warning sign. If anything looks off or feels weird when you drive, always get your car checked. Skipping maintenance or ignoring signs can speed up the damage and put you at risk. Driving With Bald Tires Is Extremely Dangerous Driving on bald tires is dangerous and should be avoided at all costs. When the tread wears down, you lose traction. Those grooves in your tires help push water away so the rubber can grip the road. Without them, you're more likely to hydroplane on wet pavement. Stopping becomes an issue, too. Worn tires take significantly longer to brake, especially in bad weather. Bald tires are also more likely to get punctured or blown out. With less rubber between you and the road, things like nails and potholes can do serious damage. In other words, good tread isn't optional—it's what keeps you safe. Check your tires regularly, and as Town & Country Ford said, replace them when they're worn. Viewers Appreciate Dealers' Way of Teaching About Cars Viewers praised Town & Country Ford's cheeky video as a clever way to teach people about bald tires. Some admitted the joke went over their heads at first—pun intended—but said it landed once they caught on. 'I'm so slow it took me a minute to realize,' one commenter wrote with a crying laughing emoji. 'I understand how old and bald play into this,' another added. 'You lost me at beards.' A few joked about the missing fourth 'tire' in the video, since only three bald men were shown. 'So you're telling me one's still good, right?' one person quipped. 'Old, bald, and you're missing a fourth tire!! [You're] riding on three wheels!!?' another said. 'Someone shoulda took one for the team and shaved their head for the fourth tire,' a third added. Still, not everyone was laughing. One woman shared a cautionary tale: 'Me the other day, when I said, 'It'll be fine,' then had a blowout going down the interstate with the wires showing.' Motor1 has reached out to Town & County Ford via a Facebook direct message. Now Trending 'Another Pink Tax:' NYC Woman Hires Man to Be Her Boyfriend for 1 Hour So She Doesn't Get Scammed When Buying Ford Truck 'Walmart Has to Pay:' Woman Pulls Into Walmart Parking Lot to Pick Up 5 Bags of Miss Vickies Chips. Then a Sign Falls On Her Car Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
US waterways are full of dumped tires. The ‘River Cowboy' won't stand for it
In the 1980s, Russ Miller and his wife moved to a far edge of eastern Kentucky's Red River Gorge, where they built a homestead on a ridge hugged by three sides of the river. It's the kind of place you can only get to with a hand-drawn map. A place so remote that the farther and farther you drive to get to it, the more unsure you are that you are in the right place. They would spend leisurely afternoons drifting the river in inner tubes, until they started noticing what floated alongside them: heaps of discarded junk. 'Back then, the river was embarrassing. It was a conveyor belt of trash,' said Miller as he handed me a photograph showing a tributary choked with broken appliances, tires, plastic kiddie pools and even a rusted blue car. Chief among the junk: tires. Each year, the United States discards nearly 300m tires. While most are reused or recycled, millions slip through the cracks. When Miller paddled past a tree where a tire had speared itself 'like an olive on a toothpick', he realized that tire would be there forever, unless someone did something. So, he did. That fall, Miller gathered hundreds of tires then recruited friends to corral them downstream. Lacking boats, he devised a way to fill old tires with empty milk jugs to make them buoyant. 'That's how he got the 'River Cowboy' name,' said Laura Gregory, watershed program director at Kentucky Waterways Alliance (KWA) and a friend of Miller's who produced a documentary about his work. 'He was the guy herding tires down the river.' The Kentucky division of waste management estimates that the state generates 4m waste tires each year, and 1m of those go unaccounted for. While there's no official data tracking where they go, most stewards on the water will tell you where they turn up: here, in the rivers. Miller, who well-earned his nickname of 'River Cowboy', has spent decades pulling a total estimated 3,000 to 4,000 tires from Kentucky's waterways. He's also one of the founding members of Friends of Red River (FORR), a grassroots cleanup group formed in 1996. Dumping waste tires outside a permitted disposal facility is illegal in Kentucky. Yet tires continue to pile up. Some are dumped out of convenience, others as part of calculated schemes. 'There are people who are basically professional dumpers,' said Gregory. 'They'll cover their license plates and wear hoods; they're surprisingly good.' With a long, silver ponytail and powder blue eyes, Miller is soft-spoken but is someone whose words you hang on to. In a weathered manila folder bloated with clippings and op-eds he has penned over the last 25 years, his words are fervent. 'Already the roadsides that people worked so hard to clean up have sprouted a new crop of trash,' he wrote in a local newspaper. 'I'm not sure whether I'm more angry with the litterers or the legislators.' On a May night, 11 muddied volunteers gather for a tire cleanup early the next morning on the upper section of the Red River, the only river in Kentucky federally designated as 'wild and scenic'. Their grueling paddle will take 13 hours, including a quarter-mile portage. Once the fleet of 22 canoes and rafts has been lowered down sandstone cliffs, Miller lines them up along the riverbank in the quiet way he leads. Unlike other cleanups, this one isn't open to the public, and I'm not invited. The challenge of the Red River's narrow, technical turns is left to those skilled and familiar enough with the potential class three rapids, which can flip a boat without warning. Later in June, on the second FORR cleanup this season, we launch early to tackle a four-mile route through some of the gorge's most scenic stretches. At first, there are few tires in sight, just a rippling channel beneath understories of rhododendron and oak trees. But before long, someone spots a tire along the embankment. Then another. Then another. Residents simply lack access to legal disposal, especially in rural areas, where hauling them to a certified site costs time and money. Waste tire collection events offer Kentuckians a free way to dispose of old tires, but they only rotate among the state's 120 counties once every three years. There's also an old embedded mindset of viewing rivers as 'out-of-sight, out-of-mind' dumping grounds. 'You have to understand the culture of this area back in the early days,' said John Burchett, board member of Friends of the Tug Fork River (FOTTFR), a group that removes tires on the Kentucky–West Virginia border. 'Garbage service was sparse in regulation. You took your trash out the backdoor and threw it over the creek bank … Now we're dealing with the sins of our forefathers.' Miller stands in the back of the canoe, scanning the river like a pirate looking for new land. 'There's one,' he calls, back-paddling. I squint at the shallow water, still unable to find it. But he has already jumped out of the canoe into the cool current. His hands disappear to heave a tire buried below a wavy pattern of sediment that he has learned to recognize. Once, KWA board member Travis Murphy counted 400 tires during a single paddle near Floyds Fork. Between Jackson and Beattyville, Miller counted 2,630 tires in 20 miles (32km). Earlier this year, in the most paddled stretch of Daniel Boone national forest, a team pulled 54 tires in three miles. Along the Tug Fork, 16,183 tires have been removed in only six years by FOTTFR. However, states are starting to take action. Connecticut passed the EPR law requiring tire manufacturers to take responsibility for their products post-consumer. Florida is removing millions of tires dumped into the ocean as part of the Osborne Reef Waste Tire Removal Project. And the Kentucky legislature recently adopted senate resolution 238, a bipartisan resolution acknowledging the scale of the tire pollution – thanks in large part to advocacy by KWA and its partners. 'We will be working during the next few months with local stakeholders as well as the division of water's river basin coordinators to gather input for our report,' said Robin Hartman, executive director of communications at the Kentucky energy and environment cabinet, in an email. 'Once complete, the report will include findings, recommended strategies and any legislative recommendations.' Tires are among the most difficult and damaging consumer products to manage at the end of their life. As vehicle usage and tire wear increase, especially with heavier electric vehicles, urgency grows. Roughly 3bn tires are produced each year, and 800m become waste. Tires can take decades to decompose and, in that time, can leach toxic substances that are harmful to public health and aquatic wildlife. While removing waste tires is half the battle, the real challenge is what to do with them next. Some of the most promising hope comes from a recent study introducing a new chemical process for breaking down used tires into precursors for epoxy resins (typically used for adhesives, coatings and sealants). It's a small but potentially significant advance toward more sustainable tire disposal solutions. 'While I sometimes feel helpless, I am also hopeful it will change,' said Miller. 'Once the awareness is there, the journey has begun.' We beach our canoes with clothes soaked in river grime. Miller plops into the water to unload the day's haul, which includes 30 tires, 15 bulging trash bags, a folding table, a dismembered wagon and torn sheeting. In less than a month, 138 tires have been pulled from 13 miles of the nationally protected Red River. They say change begins when people experience an issue firsthand. If Miller has done anything, it's inspired more people to partake in cleanups. To care. On my drive home, I begin to notice abandoned tires along roadsides and creek beds. Then, I begin to count. One, two, three …
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
US rivers are full of dumped tires. The ‘River Cowboy' won't stand for it
In the 1980s, Russ Miller and his wife moved to a far edge of eastern Kentucky's Red River Gorge, where they built a homestead on a ridge hugged by three sides of the river. It's the kind of place you can only get to with a hand-drawn map. A place so remote that the farther and farther you drive to get to it, the more unsure you are that you are in the right place. They would spend leisurely afternoons drifting the river in inner tubes, until they started noticing what floated alongside them: heaps of discarded junk. 'Back then, the river was embarrassing. It was a conveyor belt of trash,' said Miller as he handed me a photograph showing a tributary choked with broken appliances, tires, plastic kiddie pools and even a rusted blue car. Chief among the junk: tires. Each year, the United States discards nearly 300m tires. While most are reused or recycled, millions slip through the cracks. When Miller paddled past a tree where a tire had speared itself 'like an olive on a toothpick', he realized that tire would be there forever, unless someone did something. So, he did. That fall, Miller gathered hundreds of tires then recruited friends to corral them downstream. Lacking boats, he devised a way to fill old tires with empty milk jugs to make them buoyant. 'That's how he got the 'River Cowboy' name,' said Laura Gregory, watershed program director at Kentucky Waterways Alliance (KWA) and a friend of Miller's who produced a documentary about his work. 'He was the guy herding tires down the river.' The Kentucky division of waste management estimates that the state generates 4m waste tires each year, and 1m of those go unaccounted for. While there's no official data tracking where they go, most stewards on the water will tell you where they turn up: here, in the rivers. Miller, who well-earned his nickname of 'River Cowboy', has spent decades pulling a total estimated 3,000 to 4,000 tires from Kentucky's waterways. He's also one of the founding members of Friends of Red River (FORR), a grassroots cleanup group formed in 1996. Dumping waste tires outside a permitted disposal facility is illegal in Kentucky. Yet tires continue to pile up. Some are dumped out of convenience, others as part of calculated schemes. 'There are people who are basically professional dumpers,' said Gregory. 'They'll cover their license plates and wear hoods; they're surprisingly good.' With a long, silver ponytail and powder blue eyes, Miller is soft-spoken but is someone whose words you hang on to. In a weathered manila folder bloated with clippings and op-eds he has penned over the last 25 years, his words are fervent. 'Already the roadsides that people worked so hard to clean up have sprouted a new crop of trash,' he wrote in a local newspaper. 'I'm not sure whether I'm more angry with the litterers or the legislators.' On a May night, 11 muddied volunteers gather for a tire cleanup early the next morning on the upper section of the Red River, the only river in Kentucky federally designated as 'wild and scenic'. Their grueling paddle will take 13 hours, including a quarter-mile portage. Once the fleet of 22 canoes and rafts has been lowered down sandstone cliffs, Miller lines them up along the riverbank in the quiet way he leads. Unlike other cleanups, this one isn't open to the public, and I'm not invited. The challenge of the Red River's narrow, technical turns is left to those skilled and familiar enough with the potential class three rapids, which can flip a boat without warning. Later in June, on the second FORR cleanup this season, we launch early to tackle a four-mile route through some of the gorge's most scenic stretches. At first, there are few tires in sight, just a rippling channel beneath understories of rhododendron and oak trees. But before long, someone spots a tire along the embankment. Then another. Then another. Residents simply lack access to legal disposal, especially in rural areas, where hauling them to a certified site costs time and money. Waste tire collection events offer Kentuckians a free way to dispose of old tires, but they only rotate among the state's 120 counties once every three years. There's also an old embedded mindset of viewing rivers as 'out-of-sight, out-of-mind' dumping grounds. 'You have to understand the culture of this area back in the early days,' said John Burchett, board member of Friends of the Tug Fork River (FOTTFR), a group that removes tires on the Kentucky–West Virginia border. 'Garbage service was sparse in regulation. You took your trash out the backdoor and threw it over the creek bank … Now we're dealing with the sins of our forefathers.' Miller stands in the back of the canoe, scanning the river like a pirate looking for new land. 'There's one,' he calls, back-paddling. I squint at the shallow water, still unable to find it. But he has already jumped out of the canoe into the cool current. His hands disappear to heave a tire buried below a wavy pattern of sediment that he has learned to recognize. Once, KWA board member Travis Murphy counted 400 tires during a single paddle near Floyds Fork. Between Jackson and Beattyville, Miller counted 2,630 tires in 20 miles (32km). Earlier this year, in the most paddled stretch of Daniel Boone national forest, a team pulled 54 tires in three miles. Along the Tug Fork, 16,183 tires have been removed in only six years by FOTTFR. However, states are starting to take action. Connecticut passed the EPR law requiring tire manufacturers to take responsibility for their products post-consumer. Florida is removing millions of tires dumped into the ocean as part of the Osborne Reef Waste Tire Removal Project. And the Kentucky legislature recently adopted senate resolution 238, a bipartisan resolution acknowledging the scale of the tire pollution – thanks in large part to advocacy by KWA and its partners. 'We will be working during the next few months with local stakeholders as well as the division of water's river basin coordinators to gather input for our report,' said Robin Hartman, executive director of communications at the Kentucky energy and environment cabinet, in an email. 'Once complete, the report will include findings, recommended strategies and any legislative recommendations.' Tires are among the most difficult and damaging consumer products to manage at the end of their life. As vehicle usage and tire wear increase, especially with heavier electric vehicles, urgency grows. Roughly 3bn tires are produced each year, and 800m become waste. Tires can take decades to decompose and, in that time, can leach toxic substances that are harmful to public health and aquatic wildlife. While removing waste tires is half the battle, the real challenge is what to do with them next. Some of the most promising hope comes from a recent study introducing a new chemical process for breaking down used tires into precursors for epoxy resins (typically used for adhesives, coatings and sealants). It's a small but potentially significant advance toward more sustainable tire disposal solutions. 'While I sometimes feel helpless, I am also hopeful it will change,' said Miller. 'Once the awareness is there, the journey has begun.' We beach our canoes with clothes soaked in river grime. Miller plops into the water to unload the day's haul, which includes 30 tires, 15 bulging trash bags, a folding table, a dismembered wagon and torn sheeting. In less than a month, 138 tires have been pulled from 13 miles of the nationally protected Red River. They say change begins when people experience an issue firsthand. If Miller has done anything, it's inspired more people to partake in cleanups. To care. On my drive home, I begin to notice abandoned tires along roadsides and creek beds. Then, I begin to count. One, two, three …
