Denver (February 18, 2024) – The Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise has awarded a multi-year $11.2 million grant to Pretred, a Colorado company that makes barriers out of waste tires. The grant supports the expansion of PreTred’s operations to process waste tires into crumb rubber.
The Circular Economy Development Center recommended the project after spending over a year assessing Pretred’s business model, partnerships, financial viability, and product safety. Pretred’s expansion is estimated to turn four million waste tires from across Colorado into 30,000 barriers each year. The barriers are safe to use on roadways (TL-2), construction sites, erosion and flood control, pedestrian paths, landscaping design, and parking. The barriers are designed to last for decades. When they reach the end of their useful life, the barriers can be processed back into crumb rubber and used to make new barriers.
“Establishing circular economy solutions not only keeps materials out of landfills today, but also creates jobs and protects our environment for future generations. The Circular Economy Development Center is delighted to be part of this groundbreaking work,” said Laurie Johnson, chief executive officer of Circular Colorado and director of the Center.
Tyler Bandemer, chair of the C3 Enterprise Board of Directors, echoed that sentiment. “The board of directors of the Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise is excited to support this monumental leap forward to advance Colorado’s circular economy. It has been a long time coming. We look forward to seeing Pretred’s continued success and providing other services to help businesses and communities achieve increased waste diversion through solutions that reuse materials and minimize waste.”
The C3 Enterprise is a statewide program dedicated to supporting Colorado’s communities, businesses, nonprofits, schools, institutions of higher learning, and tribes to advance the state’s transition to a circular economy. C3 provides financial and technical assistance to advance circularity, including waste diversion and aversion, across the state. The Colorado Circular Economy Development Center provides business development services to help Colorado businesses manufacture new products using materials Coloradans recycle, and creates end markets to divert material that is currently filling Colorado landfills.
Grants and funding opportunities for efforts that advance Colorado’s circular economy are continuously available. For-profit businesses, non-profits, local governments, tribes, public and private schools, and higher education are encouraged to apply for a mini-grant that is under $50,000, a mid-tier impact grant that is between $50,000 and $250,000, or a capacity-building grant that is over $250,000. Local governments can also receive no-cost technical assistance to support local circularity planning. To learn more about the enterprise visit coloradocircularcommunities.org or contact c3.inquiries@state.co.us. For entities focused on establishing or expanding a circular end market, they may want to start with the Circular Economy Development Center.
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