A small town in New York is working to remove thousands of this commonly dumped item.
A section of Hyde Park Boulevard in Niagara, New York, is due for a major cleanup effort to remove discarded tires. The tire problem has been mounting for decades, and cleanup in the town, which borders the larger city of Niagara Falls, is long overdue.
Town of Niagara Highway Superintendent Richard Sirianni told WKBW that residents "are tired of driving down Hyde Park and seeing nothing but junk and metal and tires. This is going to clean it up."
In most states, it's illegal to throw tires in the trash. Instead, they need to be delivered to tire shops, repair shops, car dealerships, or specially designated waste sites.
Offenders caught illegally dumping tires can face hefty fines and even jail time. In New York, illegal dumping fines can range from $1,000 to $18,000.
Despite accessible drop-off locations and costly consequences, the illegal dumping of tires remains prevalent. In March, residents of East Norwich worked together to remove hundreds of illegally dumped tires from a protected area behind a local school.
While they can't be melted down and reused as easily as glass or aluminum, tires can be recycled by shredding them into small pieces called "crumb rubber." This crumb rubber is used in playgrounds, artificial turf, and road asphalt. Crumb rubber is a source of microplastics on account of its small size, but the alternative — billions of tires in landfills — is much worse.
Because of their size and shape, tires take up a lot of room in landfills. Since they're hollow, they trap methane gas and rise to the surface, damaging landfill liners, which are used to protect nearby soil and water from contamination. The tires themselves leak chemicals like lead and are a significant fire risk.
Scientists are working on new ways to recycle and reuse rubber, such as pressure-cooking rubber scraps into carbon black so they can become tires again. Niagara officials and waste management company Reworld partnered together for the tire cleanup to ensure that the tires will be properly recycled.
"By turning them into energy, we're avoiding landfill waste and helping the environment," Reworld Director of Operations Alan Davis told WKBW.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Should the government be able to control how we heat our homes? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
