Illinois EPA completes Used Tire Removal Actions in northern Illinois
information provided by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (September 7, 2019) – “We are proud of our ongoing work with these communities to remove the hazards that can be found with discarded used tires,” said Illinois EPA Director John J. Kim as he announced that Units of Local Government had finished removing tires in the Agency’s Rockford and Des Plaines regions. “Ensuring the tires are properly disposed of will improve the local landscape and also reduce the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses by removing the breeding habitats.”
The Agency has been assisting units of local government in removing used tires from public and abandoned properties in order to provide and maintain a healthy environment.
In total, 618.31 tons of used tires were collected in July and August through used tire removal actions:
- City of Chicago (Grand and Rockwell) in cooperation with the Department of Streets & Sanitation, 443.6 tons.
- City of Chicago (Stony Island) in cooperation with the Department of Streets & Sanitation, 71.91 tons.
- Des Plaines Valley Mosquito Abatement District (Cook County), 7.85 tons.
- Ogle County (Oregon) in cooperation with Solid Waste Department, 10.2 tons.
- Stephenson County (Freeport) in cooperation with the County Health Department, 50.28 tons.
- Kane County in cooperation with the Kane County Recycling Program, 11.97 tons.
- Boone County in cooperation with the Boone County Highway Department, 11.25 tons.
- City of Harvey (Cook County) in cooperation with the Harvey Public Works Department, 4.5 tons.
- Village of Markham (Cook County) in cooperation with the Markham Village Superintendent, 6.75 tons.
That amount is equivalent to 54,690 passenger tires.
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.
