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RINGS OF FIRE <br /> burns 5.5 million tires annually, producing We live in an era where competition for <br /> enough electricity to provide power to scarce resources is a daily reality. Tires <br /> 15,000 homes for one year. may never have a larger market than what <br /> they were originally intended for-- but <br /> But what about the by-products of com- that should not stop us from trying. <br /> bustion? The Modesto Energy plant <br /> continues to find markets for many of the <br /> by-products. Emission control technology TIRE PROCESSING <br /> collects zinc and particulate matter from <br /> flu gasses. The quick lime, used as a filter There are a number of ways to prepare <br /> in the stack scrubbers, has a high concen- tires for storage or market. These <br /> tration of calcium. The calcium absorbs processes include <br /> sulfur from flu gasses, and calcium sulfate <br /> becomes a by-product of the process. 6 Retreading <br /> Calcium sulfate, which you may recognize 6 Cryogenics <br /> by its common name gypsum, is used in <br /> agriculture as an additive for clay soils. Gasification <br /> The application of calcium enriched mate- <br /> rial can also be applied to our fire sup- Liquefaction <br /> pression strategies. <br /> From the fly ash, zinc oxide is collected ' Pyrolizing <br /> and exported for smelting or sold to fertil- Bundling/Bailing <br /> izer and feed companies. In fertilizer, <br /> zinc is used around orchards to prevent tb Shredding <br /> the tree's bark from splitting. Zinc is also <br /> an important dietary additive for the cattle Retreading <br /> industry. Look at the list of ingredients <br /> on your milk carton and you may find that The retread business peels old treads from <br /> an eight once glass of milk contains 6% of tire casings, buffs the casing, and <br /> your recommended daily allowance of relaminates new tread on. The buffing <br /> zinc. dust is collected and used in RMA. The <br /> peeling can be compressed and bonded to <br /> Iron oxide, collected from the bottom ash form products such as railroad crossing <br /> of the furnace, is used in cement produc- blocks and truck bed liners. <br /> tion. Other markets for bottom ash may <br /> soon include patio pavers and decorative <br /> finishes used on freeway underpasses. <br /> 8 <br />