Dive Brief:

• California's Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) will give more than $1 million in grants to four local jurisdictions for innovative engineering projects involving waste tires.
• The program is designed to promote the use of tire-derived aggregate (TDA) instead of conventional construction materials for a variety of applications.
• The grants were funded by a fee on each tire sold in the state. California generates 44 million waste tires per year and is expected to use the equivalent of 4.7 million tires in these projects.

Dive Insight:

TDA is seen as a good construction material because it drains quickly and doesn't break down easily. Riverside County and the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority will use the material as bedding for landfill wells. Santa Barbara County will use it to repair a road closed by a landslide.

The project in Solano County is seen as the most innovative and received the largest amount of money. More than 42,000 tons of TDA will be used to raise a mile-long portion of road as part of a tidal marsh and wetland restoration project. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife and Ducks Unlimited will help with the TDA installation.

California's tire fee has also helped fund grants for proper disposal and enforcement. Earlier this month, CalRecycle announced $5.7 million in grants to one city and two counties for enforcement efforts. Tires can often attract mosquitoes - which can even lead to the spread of Zika virus - and also pose a fire hazard when illegally stockpiled.