In the US, automotive passenger tires are discarded at the rate of 300 million tires per year. Tire discards represent a loss of recoverable materials and also a significant load to landfills as only 30% of the tires are diverted to other uses. Reklaim Technologies selected Harris Group to develop a process to capture the recoverable materials in the discarded tires.

Harris Group developed key elements of a continuous process to thermally degrade the tire compounds creating salable commodities of No. 4 heating oil, carbon black, and scrap steel. At full build out, the plant will also generate 2 MW of power for internal consumption, using as fuel, non-condensable gases generated in the process.

On behalf of the customer, Harris Group applied for and won Oregon Business Energy Tax Credits (BETC) of $2.5 million. At full build out in 2011, BETC awards are expected to total $8 million. The plant, constructed in Boardman, Oregon, can process 5.4 million passenger tires per year at full capacity. The Boardman facility represents the first commercial scale plant to operate in North America. Plant startup occurred in 4thQ 2008.