The Hertz Corporation and Liberty Tire Recycling launched the first nationwide tire recycling program in the U.S. car rental industry. Liberty Tire Recycling is the largest tire recycling company in North America and converts used tires into rubber feedstock and other materials that can be used for a wide variety of eco-friendly products and services. Hertz will leverage Liberty’s nationwide service to collect its used tires, more than 160,000 annually, which will be transformed into a range of products for playgrounds, public parks, highways and other applications.

“Hertz leads in sustainability throughout our operations, products and services. Today, we take the next step forward and launch the first zero landfill waste tire program in the industry,” said Mark Frissora, Chairman and CEO of Hertz. “Through our partnership with Liberty Tire Recycling, we are implementing the first national tire recycling program and again set the pace for our sector.”

Liberty provides recycled rubber feedstock which produces a range of products including:

Landscaping & Home Garden: Liberty converts tires into unique rubber mulch that is non-allergenic and harmless to plants, pets and children. Rubber mulch resists washing away during heavy rains, and will not sustain mold, fungus growth or insect infestation. Plus, consumers save money because colorfast rubber mulch lasts much longer than wood mulch.
Flooring & Playground Markets: Kid-friendly mats and playground safety surfacing made from recycled tire rubber keep little falls fun and flexible, not hard and hurtful.
Faster Trains Speeds on Greener Rails: The finely powdered crumb rubber is the key ingredient in new composite crossties, the greenest solution for railroad tracks. Composite ties replace toxic preservative-filled hardwood ties with a solution that lasts longer and allows for heavier loads, faster train speeds and more safety.
Rubberized Asphalt: Highways modified with recycled tire rubber are now being constructed that ride quieter, last longer, and use significantly less paving material than traditional asphalt. Up to 8,000 tires are used in each lane mile of pavement. Because some applications of rubber asphalt are thinner than traditional conventional asphalt methods, less paving material is used.

This partnership adds to Hertz’s award-winning commitment to sustainability, which is demonstrated by a wide variety of its practices and services. Hertz offers a collection of alternative fuel and high MPG vehicles – from electric vehicles (EVs) to clean diesel – in its Green Traveler Collection lineup. Additionally, Hertz’s car sharing service, Hertz On Demand, offers exciting EV options, including the Nissan LEAF, Chevy Volt and Mitsubishi iMiev. Recently, Hertz also expanded its electric car rental program through a pilot initiative with Plugless Power, which allows EVs to charge without being plugged into an outlet.

Operating one of the youngest and most diverse fleets in the industry, Hertz is committed to offering its customers the most technologically innovative products and services available, resulting in the fastest, easiest and most valued rental experience. This includes Hertz ‘Carfirmations,’ a mobile SMS text and email service that confirms a Gold member’s reservation and advises them of their car and location prior to arrival at the Hertz facility; ‘Gold Choice,’ which gives Gold members the power to keep the car they reserved or simply choose a different car from the Gold Choice area; and Counter By-Pass and e-Return, which allow customers to bypass counter lines and go directly to their cars and then return their vehicles with the fastest car rental drop off that includes an email receipt within hours. These are all free services for Hertz Gold Plus Rewards members, which is free to join. In addition, Hertz continues to expand the presence of its ExpressRent Interactive Kiosks that let customers rent a car, with or without a reservation, through a live, face-to-face video kiosk. Finally, Hertz pioneered vehicle-specific reservation capabilities via its collections series and has the largest fleet of make and model reservable cars in the industry.