AB 338: Recycling waste tires into rubberized asphalt

California generates 32 million waste tires annually. Fortunately, there is a perfect use for recycled tires: rubberized asphalt concrete (RAC), used to build and repair streets and highways. Despite years of studies showing that RAC lasts longer and has a lower life-cycle cost than regular concrete, Caltrans and highway contractors have fought its use for years. With the enactment of AB 338 (Levine), which requires Caltrans to phase in the use of RAC on state highway projects, common sense finally was converted into public policy.