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Retread Tires
In most situations, retread tires can be driven under the same conditions and at the same speeds as new tires with no loss in safety or comfort. In fact, retread tires have been safely used on school buses, trucks, cars, fire engines, and other emergency vehicles for years. Retreading tires also helps conserve a valuable nonrenewable resource-oil. Every year, retreading saves more than 400 million gallons of oil in North America. Retread tires also help divert thousands of scrap tires from disposal each year.
Recommended
Recovered Materials Content Ranges:
EPA recommends that procuring agencies establish preference programs consisting of two components:
-
Procurement of tire retreading services for the
agencies' used tire casings:
EPA recommends that procuring agencies specify that tire repair and retread services must conform to Federal Specification ZZ-T-441H (or current version). -
Procurement of tires through competition between vendors
of new tires and vendors of retread tires:
EPA recommends that procuring agencies specify that retread tires must meet the requirements of Federal Specification ZZ-T-381, "Tires, Pneumatic, Vehicular (Highway) (New and Retreaded).
Product Information:
Database
of Manufacturers and Suppliers
This database identifies manufacturers and suppliers
of retread tires.
GSA Advantage! 
The General Services Administration (GSA's)
Federal Supply Schedule Group 26, Part 1 offers
retread tires for purchase. In addition, GSA publishes
various supply catalogues, guides, and schedules for
recycled-content products available through the Federal
Supply Service.
Additional Links:
2007
Buy-Recycled Series: Vehicular Products (PDF) (8 pp, 129K, About PDF)
This fact sheet highlights the vehicular products
designated in the CPG, including retread tires, and includes
case studies, recommended recovered content levels, and a
list of resources.
Technical Background Documents
Technical background information on retread tires was
published in the
Federal Register on February 17, 1989 (54 FR 46558)
and codified at 40 CFR 247. This product designation was one
of five incorporated in
CPG I/RMAN I
on May 1, 1995 (60 FR 21370-21386).