Ohio is the latest environmentally conscious state to join the mission for a greener world from the ground up: The city of Lima is working towards securing a road project through the state department of natural resources that proposes using asphalt made with ground scrap tires for new and improved city roadways. Asphalt rubber has been around for several years, and its utilization is continuing to grow throughout the country. Benefits of an asphalt upgrade in Lima include a 900-tire landfill reduction, four year increase in roadway lifespan, reduction in asphalt cracking, and decrease in traffic noise and emissions. Approximately 12 million tires have already been recycled for roadways, with California and Arizona using the most for highways. Although the project sounds like an easy win for the Ohio city, the $150,000 grant was rejected the last time the city applied and there are no guarantees it will be passed this time around. There are a few drawbacks to asphalt rubber that may be to blame: bad smell, smoke, sticky material base and high costs to implement. However, as the 2 to 3 billion abandoned scrap tires continue to stockpile, the risk of tire fires increases, which poses serious environmental threats. For individuals concerned with tire recycling, most tire retailers will accept your old treads. You can also check with local recycling facilities and solid waste management agencies, but it is not common for companies to buy scrap tires.