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Illinois EPA completes used tire removals in Chicago region

Nearly 600 tons of tires collected in December

information provided by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (January 3, 2018) – Illinois EPA Director Alec Messina announced the completion of used tire removal actions in five counties in the Chicago region. The used tire removal actions are part of the Agency’s efforts to assist units of local government in providing and maintaining a healthy environment by removing used tires from public and abandoned properties.

“Illinois EPA’s Used Tire Program benefits our communities by removing hazards associated with used tires,” said Director Messina. “I want to thank our local partners who helped make these collections so successful.”

In total, 598.51 tons of used tires were collected in December through these used tire removal actions:

  • City of Chicago (Grand Avenue) in cooperation with the Department of Streets & Sanitation, 313.05 tons.
  • City of Chicago (Stony Island) in cooperation with the Department of Streets & Sanitation, 105.41 tons.
  • Kane County in cooperation with Kane County Recycling Program, 6.35 tons.
  • Lake County in cooperation with the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO), 28.98 tons.
  • Village of Hopkins Park (Kankakee County), 22.74 tons.
  • Will County in cooperation with the Will County Land Use Department, 121.98 tons.

Units of local government assist in the coordination of the collections, which allows the Illinois EPA to collect and properly dispose of the waste tires that have been collected from public properties, including roadsides, public parks, and abandoned sites. Dumped tires can contaminate air, land, and water and serve as habitats for disease-carrying insects, particularly mosquitoes. Although these collections are in the winter months, removal of tires before spring rains arrive will further reduce the threat of mosquito-borne diseases.

Through the Used Tire Program, used tires are properly disposed of at a registered, commercial used tire processing facility in Illinois. Some tires are retreaded and reused, and others are recycled into a variety of products and uses.

The Illinois EPA’s Used Tire Program is funded by a $2.50 per tire fee that consumers pay when purchasing tires at retail.

 

The Lansing Journal
The Lansing Journalhttps://thelansingjournal.com
The Lansing Journal publishes news releases from state, county, and local officials who provide information that impacts local community life. The particular contributor of each post is indicated in the byline.