Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Waste Tires on the Island of Dominica: Survey and Solutions
EPA Grant Number: SU833512Title: Waste Tires on the Island of Dominica: Survey and Solutions
Investigators: Miller, Shelie , Mey, Brenda Vander , McWhorter, Brent , Cotrupi, Catherine , Ryan, Derek , Bornholdt, Hanna , Chamberlain, Jim , LaFlamme, Laura , Robbins, Laurie , Dodd, Nikki , Sarkar, Saumya
Institution: Clemson University
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: May 1, 2008 through April 30, 2010
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2007) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Challenge Area - Chemical Safety , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
This P3 project addresses some of them any environmental, economic, and social challenges faced by rural communities in the developing world. The program uses scrap tires and other waste materials to create organic learning gardens and nature-based learning spaces within public schools, using the theme of recycled materials from the natural and industrial worlds.
The goals of the learning landscape project address each of the main themes of sustainability. The first goal is to educate members of the community about various aspects of environmental stewardship, and integrate hands-on environmental experiences regarding reuse and recycling into the elementary school curriculum. The second goal is to promote social prosperity, improving food security within the community and access to wholesome organic foods, as well as providing recreational for the village’s youth. Finally, the learning landscape hopes to provide economic for the school and community, through increased tourism to the village and the potential creation of small business ventures regarding compost generation, produce sales, and arts & crafts from recycled materials that can be sold on cruise ship days.
The objectives of Phase I are to:
- Quantify the scope and size of the waste tire dilemma on Dominica by collecting data to conduct a national Material Flow Analysis
- Research and evaluate alternatives for tire recycle and/or disposal
- Select a site and begin the planning process for a community build and demonstration project.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Phase I of LFL-Dominica was highly successful, resulting in a completed national tire inventory and Material Flow Analysis, a waste tire feasibility study, expansion of the project to include organic gardens, identification and screening of three sites for potential LFL implementation, selection of a pilot LFL site in Grand Fond, and initiation of the design process, including a land survey and design drawings.
Calculations indicate there are approximately 560,000 tires on the island. With a collected stock pile of 80,000 waste tires, approximately 480,000 waste tires still remain scattered throughout the nation. Many of these are used as planters lining roadsides, although some have been used for applications such as retaining walls. Most do not serve particularly useful purposes, and waste tires may be a resource that can be used more effectively, as determined by the feasibility study. An additional 57,000 tires are imported into the country every year. The trend of vehicle growth shows that the number of vehicles is going to increase at a much faster rate in the future, resulting in even larger numbers of tires. Options to reuse these tires in landscape and recreational applications will be explored through this project and ultimately integrated into the design.
The village of Grand Fond and its elementary school have been selected as the pilot site for the Landscapes for Learning program in Dominica. A booklet of 60 landscape sketches has been compiled by the elementary students and community members, which will be translated into an actual design for implementation by students in Landscape Architecture.
This Landscape for Learning (LFL) project is highly compatible with the mission of the P3 program. It incorporates environmental, social, and economic considerations within its scope and has a focus of continuing education. It is highly interdisciplinary, with each of the disciplines working together in a beneficial and constructive manner. There is tremendous potential to affect positive change within a community in an effort to make progress toward sustainability, and contribute to an improved quality of life for the village’s citizens. The demonstration site discussed in this proposal can be used as a template with broad applicability to various sites throughout Dominica as well as the developed world. With its innovative and integrated approach to elementary education and community involvement, the LFL program can effectively employ existing knowledge within a creative approach.
Phase II
We are well positioned to implement Phase II as a result of the data collected over the past year. Phase II will focus on implementation of the demonstration site as well as integration of environmental stewardship into elementary and university curriculum.
The major objectives of Phase II are to:
- Design a pilot Landscape for Learning (LFL), using recycled materials as a focus. Involve community and school-aged children in all stages of the process.
- Integrate school’s learning objectives into the LFL and educational curriculum that complements the learning landscape, with an ultimate goal of reducing waste generated by the community by 30% by 2011.
- Create and disseminate educational materials in partnership with the Dominica Solid Waste Management Corporation, to increase environmental awareness and stewardship.
- Organize a community build, resulting in a community-focused garden and playground inclusive of all aspects of environmental stewardship and sustainability.
- Produce documentation and implementation advice for additional communities on Dominica and the United States wishing to adopt similar learning landscapes.
A waste characterization study performed by Dominica Solid Waste Management Corporation revealed that ~70,000 kg of solid waste was generated in the Grand Fond region between January and September of 2007 (DSWMC 2008). Of this, over 45% was organic material. This represents a tremendous potential for composting in the area. Diversion of organics as well as some of the recyclable plastic, glass, and metals will allow the community to reach the goal of a 30% waste reduction.
Three quantifiable metrics will be used to determine the success of the program: number of children actively using the learning landscape, waste diverted from landfill, and amount of produce grown in the organic garden. In addition to these metrics, less quantifiable benefits may also be realized, such as greater environmental awareness, increased tourism to the area, and improved nutrition within the community.
Information is available regarding construction of tire playgrounds and organic gardens in school grounds; however, there is no evidence of a program similar to this anywhere else in the world. The innovative aspect of this project is to reconceptualize environmental stewardship, showing that humans are not separate from natural cycles but an active part. Integrating recycling of organic material as well as industrial artifacts is seldom done. In addition, the level of curriculum integration allows numerous facets of sustainability to be explored while also improving quality of life within the community and reducing waste production. Technically, this project benefits from the full support of the Asphalt Rubber Technology Service, a premier research center promoting the reuse of used tires. The project will benefit from their technical expertise and innovative ideas regarding the use of waste tires in this application.
Supplemental Keywords:
Community Development, Industrial Ecology, Material Flow Analysis, Service Learning, Food Security,Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.