The ARTS research and outreach facility was dedicated on America Recycles Day, November 15, 2002. The facility was designed as a teaching lab for Clemson University Civil Engineering students and is used for research and development. It is unique because it provides the seed money to help counties and cities in South Carolina make technology work for them. After all, finding solutions to the waste-tire problem is meaningless unless we can find a way to get the solutions into the communities.

By carrying out its mission, which is to promote the practical utilization of scrap tire rubber in hot mix asphalt and other civil engineering applications through research, training and technology transfer, this research outreach program could literally, pave the way toward eliminating the approximate 4 million worn-out tires that clog South Carolina's landfills. This was the message shared by Dr. Serji Amirkhanian, Director of the ARTS facility. By grinding or shredding tires and mixing them with other materials, we can make everything from highways and secondary roads to exit-ramp embankments, retaining walls, running tracks, safer playground materials, golf-course cart paths, and erosion-resistant beach walls. In many cases, considering life-cycle cost analysis, these new environmentally friendly construction materials will be less expensive and longer lasting than standard materials.

Vice President for Research at Clemson University, Dr. Christian E. G. Przirembel, welcomed the nearly 100 building dedication guests and said "What we learn through the ARTS Program, will not only benefit South Carolina, but may have international implications. We hope the ARTS program could become a model for other states as well as overseas. We know the technology can work, we're doing the research to make it better." The lab has already attracted international attention and the staff has met with interested guests from China, Spain, Italy, Scotland, and Japan.

Other officials on the dedication agenda were C. Earl Hunter, Commissioner for South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control; Larry Abernathy, Mayor of the City of Clemson; Clarence H. "Red" Hermann, Vice Chairman of the Recycling Market Development Advisory Council; and Doug Carlson, Deputy Director of the Rubber Pavements Association. The ARTS staff would like to take one more opportunity to thank these individuals for sharing their time with us on November 15.

In addition to these officials, the ARTS Building Dedication was attended by County Councilwoman Holly Ulbrich and Senator Thomas Alexander.

After the dedication ceremony, the guests were invited to join Mary Corley, Program Administrator for ARTS, for a demonstration of the new ARTS Blending Unit. Lab tours and refreshments followed.

                                                      Building Dedication Guests:

ARTS Research and Outreach Facility.  


Dr. Amirkhanian welcomes Larry Abernathy, the mayor of Clemson. The building of the ARTS facility and the development of the program was made possible by a grant awarded to the Clemson University ARTS program by the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control in cooperation with the City of Clemson.

Dr. Christian E. G. Przirembel, Vice President for Research at Clemson University, welcomes the building dedication guests.

C. Earl Hunter, Commissioner for South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control shared that the ARTS program has been successful due to the cooperative efforts from state, county, and local legislatures working together with Clemson University.

Clarence H. "Red" Hermann, Vice Chairman of the Recycling Market Development Advisory Council stated that RMDAC is delighted to have worked with DHEC and its Waste Tire Committee in the initial planning of the ARTS program.