North Carolina Cub Scouts make 'sad' discovery during troop activity: 'It really is a shame'

This is unfortunately one of those situations that might push you to the old adage of "people are the worst."

A Redditor posted a frustrating situation on the side of the road near a popular recreation area.

The image showed a pile of discarded tires, bagged trash, and other scrap. They explained the situation in the post's headline.

"Cub Scout troop pulled 68 tires out of Falls Lake in Raleigh, NC," they wrote. "Wish people would recycle their tires instead of throwing them into our reservoirs."

Besides being an eyesore in an area that offers hiking, biking, swimming, and boating, the tires represent a significant environmental threat.

They can take nearly 2,000 years to decompose, contain toxic substances, and release harmful chemicals. Unsurprisingly, a study found that exposure to the materials in tires poses major health risks to marine life such as cod.

They can be a fire risk, especially when haphazardly dumped illegally. When left out in nature, they can also attract pests such as rats and mosquitoes. 

All of this is preventable as well. Proper tire disposal through pick-up programs, tire shop recycling, or mail-back programs can help keep old tires out of natural areas. The materials are recyclable and can be repurposed into different items. 

Some of those uses are controversial, such as part of artificial turf or playground areas, but that doesn't make it better to throw whole tires into nature — especially when options are available to get rid of them.

Still, the problem seems to be abundant in North Carolina, as Fayetteville is another area plagued with the same issues.

Should everyone have access to free curbside recycling? Yes 👍 No 👎 I already thought we did 🤔 I'm not sure 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Redditors were thankful that the Cub Scouts did a good thing in removing the tires from nature like other good Samaritans have. A user provided their own explanation for why residents are choosing to dump tires instead of disposing of them more responsibly.

"Most states if not all required you to pay a fee to get rid of tires to recycle," they suggested. "People just would rather pollute than spend a couple bucks to do it the safe way. It's a damn shame."

"Sad to see this when there are so many ways to use old tires," another Redditor commented.

Another added: "What pisses me off is that we (The U.S.) are supposed to be the richest and (one of) the most advanced countries in the world. … It really is a shame."

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