Waste Tires

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South Carolinians generate an estimated 4.6 million waste tires every year or roughly 12,600 per day. The S.C. Solid Waste Policy and Management Act of 1991 bans the disposal of whole waste tires in landfills and places a $2 fee on each new tire purchased. This fee is used to properly manage and recycle waste tires, reduce illegal dumping and encourage new uses for old tires.

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If recycled, waste tires can be made into many products or used as an alternative fuel source. If improperly managed, waste tires pose a potential risk to human health and the environment.

Most waste tires generated in South Carolina are chipped and burned by permitted facilities in place of other fuels (e.g., coal). Tires also are used frequently as a substitute for gravel or other aggregates in septic tank drain fields or other drainage applications.

 

Stockpiles of illegally dumped or improperly stored tires collect rainwater and provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes that transmit illnesses.

 

Best management practices to properly manage tires:

 

Keep them dry. The best practice is to store tires so that they do not collect water. Help protect the health of your neighbors by using the following methods to keep tires dry:

• Store indoors;

• Use enclosed trailers;

• Place tarps on outdoor storage piles; and

• Regularly transport tires for recycling.

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Tires must be stored in a way that prevents mosquitoes from breeding.

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Inspect the casings - particularly if tires are stored unprotected outdoors - for water. If found, empty the water. If you found mosquito larvae, consider storing the tires indoors or in another area protected from rainfall. Arrange to have them picked up and recycled as soon as possible. In some cases, it may be necessary to spray for mosquitoes until the tires are removed for recycling. Always follow the directions for pesticide application.

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Tire Dumping

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Tire dumping and unpermitted storage of waste tires should be reported. Here are the two primary contacts:

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• Your local litter enforcement office: Visit www.palmettopride.org and click on “Select Your County” on the bar at the top of the page;

• Your local DHEC office: Visit here and click on “File Pollution Complaint”.