Recycling Feature (Page)
Randolph County Getting INShape One Waste Tire at a Time
Governor Daniels' health initiative of INShape Indiana has challenged Hoosiers to get active, eat healthy, and refrain from smoking. One special group of Hoosiers in Randolph County decided to take the governor's challenge and encourage healthy partnerships among its citizens through an innovative environmentally conscious way.
On April 27, 2007, the INShape Randolph Coalition held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Randolph County YMCA’s newly paved waste tire rubber modified asphalt walking trail to kick off the “100 Challenge”. The event encouraged people to walk one mile a day for 100 days. Participants walked their first mile together on the newly paved trail made from an asphalt mixture containing approximately 1,000 recycled tires. The trail is jointly owned by the YMCA and the neighboring Ohio Valley Gas Corporation (OVGC).
This project achieved not only the benefits of improving health, but also the environment by recycling 1,000 Indiana waste tires. Waste tires are a major concern in Indiana because they take up valuable landfill space, are a source of fires, and provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Waste tires have recently been added to asphalt because they provide better performance at a thinner application and are less expensive than traditional asphalt.
This project could not have been completed without the valuable partnerships the YMCA fostered. IDEM’s Source Reduction and Recycling Branch awarded the Randolph County YMCA a $14,730.00 grant from the Waste Tire Fund. The funding assistance allowed repaving efforts of an existing one mile gravel trail to incorporate former waste tires as rubber modified asphalt into the trail. When the price of asphalt rose during the project and additional funds were needed, the OVGC and the Randolph County Solid Waste Management District covered the difference.
Members of the YMCA, employees of OVGC, and people in the community can all benefit from the newly paved walking trail. This project not only promotes a healthier environment but helps the citizens of Randolph County achieve a healthy lifestyle.
