Seattle is the first test city for a new bike lane barrier made of recycled tires

The pitch is great: Let’s take a car culture waste product that would otherwise be burned and instead turn it into a barrier to protect the lives of people biking.

Meanwhile, researchers at UW have identified a tire chemical — 6PPD-quinone — that is likely a major cause coho salmon population decline. The chemical gets into waterways through wear and tear from cars and trucks driving on roadways.