Monday, October 11, 1999
Dump old tires with no cost, penalty
Health hazard, litter targeted
BY CINDY SCHROEDER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Starting Sunday, Northern Kentucky residents who have been hoarding piles of tires can dump them at designated locations, without charge or penalty.
The free tire disposal is part of a new statewide program aimed at ridding the commonwealth of waste tires that often litter the landscape and pose a health hazard.
“The tire amnesty program will be good for those folks who have a couple of tires behind their garage and don't want to pay to dispose of them,” said Nate Sturm, Northern Kentucky solid-waste management coordinator. “But it's especially nice for those people who have piles and piles of tires.”
Under the tire amnesty program, Northern Kentucky's contractor will arrange to pick up more than 1,500 tires, provided they are accessible. Smaller amounts can be dropped off at designated sites.
Normally, it costs between $2 and $3 to get rid of each unwanted tire, Mr. Sturm said. Residents hoarding more than 100 waste tires also face possible fines if they don't have a permit to operate a tire storage or processing facility.
Along with the tire amnesty program, Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties will be running their annual fall cleanups. Residents can dispose of rubbish and large items such as couches, refrigerators or stoves at designated locations.
“We're telling everybody to get everything you can into this cleanup,” said Ken Knipper, Campbell County's solid-waste coordinator. “Because of our financial problems in Campbell County, we've had budget cuts, and there may not be a spring cleanup.”
Boone County's tire amnesty program will run from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 17-23 at the public works department at 5645 Idlewild Road in Burlington.
Kenton County's will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 25-30 at the state highway garage, 3923 Madison Pike, across from Pioneer Park in Covington.
Campbell County's tire amnesty program will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 1-6 at the county road department on Racetrack Road near A.J. Jolly Park.
The idea of the tire amnesty program originated with the Division of Waste Management of the Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet.
“In some parts of the state, it's not uncommon to find piles of hundreds of thousands of tires,” Mr. Sturm said. “We want to get those tires out of the state, because they're a fire hazard and a major health hazard. Mosquitos will breed much faster in tires than on the normal landscape because of the huge puddles of water.”
Funding for the tire amnesty program comes from the Waste Tire Trust Fund, generated by collecting $1 on the sale of each new tire in Kentucky.
All of the tires collected in Northern Kentucky will be shredded and used to build a landfill cell in Medora, Ind.
Boone County's fall cleanup will coincide with its tire amnesty program, with both based at the public works department. However Kenton County's cleanup program for rubbish, white goods and large items such as furniture will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 28-30, and Campbell County's cleanup will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 29-31.
Kenton County will accept rubbish and white goods at Pioneer Park off Ky. 17, and at DRT Construction Co. at the intersection of Ky. 16 and 17. Campbell County residents can take their tires and white goods to the road department only. They can also dispose of rubbish at the road department, as well as manned trash containers in Pendery Park and at the Campbell County police station.
Personnel at all cleanup sites will be checking license plates or other identification to ensure that items are being dumped by residents.
Liquids and hazardous materials won't be accepted, but otherwise, pretty much anything goes, cleanup organizers said.
“We've gotten satellite dishes and boats,” Mr. Knipper said. “Last time, we even had a contractor's trailer. We thought he was pulling it up to unload it, but he just left it here. It wasn't 15 minutes before a farmer came along, and brought a tractor to tow it away.”
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