Dr. Jen McIntyre, WSU Puyallup Stormwater Research & Extension Center
Testing tire char performance as an amendment to bioretention soil media for treating urban stormwater runoff.
Tires release many toxic chemicals into stormwater runoff and are also a solid waste challenge. One way that stormwater runoff can be treated is through ‘biofiltration’ through engineered soil systems that include organic matter with high affinity for binding contaminants in stormwater. Mixtures of compost and sand form the basis for the media in bioretention systems in Washington State, which are a very common type of bioinfiltration. However, compost as the organic matter has some detrimental qualities, including release of nutrients and some metals.
Biochar made from organic waste materials can be a useful amendment to bioretention and has been explored as a way to reduce the compost content. Char can be made from tires and is proposed as an efficient way to recycle this waste product.
The Teacher Partner would assist with testing whether tire char is a suitable amendment for use in bioretention systems, including examining leaching of tire-derived chemicals and testing for aquatic toxicity.