Disposing of Tires the Wrong Way is Worse Than You Think
The Problem
When it comes to tires, it turns out that getting a flat isn’t the only hazard you should be worried about. Tires can be a serious solid waste disposal problem because they are a potential fire hazard,can contaminate ground water, and are a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Tires have been banned from all landfills and should not be placed out for pickup.
Fires that break out from tires in landfills can be very harmful. These tire fires burn very hot and are extremely difficult to extinguish. With the extreme heat of the fire, the tires melt into an oily substance. This substance can become a hazardous run-off that contaminates groundwater (Illinois EPA).
Tires are also the perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes. They contain heat, hold water, and collect organic rain water. In fact, tires make up 29% of breeding sites chosen by mosquitoes. You might think that’s no big deal, but many of the mosquitoes carry harmful diseases, like the Asian Tiger Mosquito. This mosquito came to the U.S. from Japan via tire waste shipments in 1985, and has spread to many different states. So the more tires that sit in landfills, the more potentially dangerous mosquitoes (The Daily Beast).
The Solution
More than 14 million tires are produced a year, which all need to be disposed of properly to avoid these hazards. The best way to dispose of them is by leaving them with your tire retailer when you purchase news tires. Retailers are required by law to accept the same number of tires that you buy.
You can also take tires to hazardous waste collections hosted by the Illinois EPA. Check with your local village to see if they host collection events as well.
When tires are properly disposed of, they’re recycled and reused instead of ending up in a landfill! Used tire material can be recycled into civil engineering projects, tire derived fuel, or into crumb rubber. Crumb rubber is used to create running tracks, the ground cover for playgrounds, car floor mats, and rubberized asphalt.
When you need new tires, just turn your old ones in to exchange for new! This way, you’ll prevent serious hazards and the material will be recycled.
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