TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) Pima County reminds you to recycle old tires in order to save the environment. Natalie Shepp from the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality said that if there are tires you don’t need, you can bring them to their recycling facility. Residents of the county can dispose of up to five regular-sized tires each year for free.
Shepp stated that this is a great way to take something old and make it useful again.
Shepp claims that in 2020, the number tires brought in decreased because people were not clear on which services were available and which were closed. They also had trouble finding drivers to pick-up the tires and deliver them to Crumb rubber in Mesa for processing.
In 2020, 13,000 tons of tires were brought in. The numbers began to rise in 2021. Nearly 15,000 tons of tires were donated to drop sites from all over the county. The tires are then put to good use.
“It is taken by a third-party, and it is recycled and used in places such as fields and playgrounds. Shepp stated that it can also be used in rubberized material to make playgrounds safer or as asphalt for roads.
Commercial-sized tires can be dropped off at a charge that can vary depending upon how many are brought in.
It can cost you 30 dollars per ton if you have more than 5 standard tires. There is a $15 minimum fee. Off road tires are $150 per tonne and require a $30 minimum. If you want to drop off tires with rims, an additional $75 fee will be added.
Shepp said that they want to ensure that those tires are not illegally disposed of or placed in a trashcan.
The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality recycles approximately 950,000 tires each year.
https://azdeq.gov/pima-county-waste-tire-collection-sites
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