Scrap tire shredder outside a blue building loaded with stacks of tires

A scrap tire is a tire that is no longer suitable for its original intended purpose because of wear, damage or defect. Scrap tires are generated when and where new tires replace unusable ones. Retailers, also known as scrap tire collection centers, are the most common type of generator. Scrap tire haulers transport the scrap tires to processing facilities where the tires are reduced in volume by shredding, cutting, buffing, chipping, baling or otherwise altered so they can be recycled, used for resource recovery or disposed. For a list of companies or individuals who have obtained a permit to process scrap tires, visit Scrap Tire Processors.

According to Code of State Regulations, 10 CSR 80-8.050, all scrap tire processing operations must obtain a Scrap Tire Processing Facility Permit. Depending on the processing operations, the permit applicant may also be required to obtain permits from the department's Air Pollution Control Program or Water Protection Program. For more information regarding air permits, please contact the department's Air Pollution Control Program, Air Permits New Source Review Unit, by telephone at 573-751-4817. For more information regarding water permits, please contact the department's Water Protection Program, Permits Section, by telephone at 573-751-1300. You may contact either program toll-free at 800-361-4827.

*For information about reporting required by scrap tire processors, visit Scrap Tire Hauler, Processor and Collection Center Reporting.

Permit Process

To apply for a Scrap Tire Processing Facility Permit, the permit applicant submits the following information to the department:

In addition to the permit fee, the applicant will also be responsible for reimbursing the department up to $2,000 for the costs associated with reviewing the application. In order to minimize these costs and help the applicant submit an application package that is as completely as possible, the department created a Scrap Tire Processing Facility Permit Application Worksheet - PUB2245 to use with the application form.

Scrap tire processing facilities are required to establish an approvable closure plan and financial assurance instrument. A permit will not be issued until applicable financial assurance requirements are complete.

Review Process

The department will review the permit application and respond to the applicant, in writing, in one of three ways: approved, request for additional information or disapproved. If the application cannot be approved, the department will provide an explanation.