Source reader Yanira Fernandez wants to know why the Department of Public Works and V.I. Waste Management Authority have not yet "worked together to reuse all the old tires sitting at the landfill to create rubberized asphalt concrete to pave our roads."
Fernandez also mentioned that some states, such as California, have been using the material for years.
Public Works Commissioner Darryl Smalls said Wednesday that there are not enough tires available locally sustain such a project. There are enough tires to cover a few miles, but then the supply would run out, and while some Midwestern states do use rubberized concrete, they still have to ship in tires from out of state to fill the gap, he said.
Doing that in the territory would not be cost effective, Smalls said, adding that local asphalt companies would have to adapt their facilities to process the material. He also mentioned using glass as another alternative but said special machinery would also have to be purchased to break down the glass.
