Jun 14, 2023 - News

Illegal tire dumping hits record pace

A photo of tires. — This tire stockpile near the Minnesota boarder resulted in a $10,000 fine last year to the man who had collected them. Photo: Courtesy of the Iowa DNR

Des Moines public works crews picked up more than 1,600 illegally dumped tires between January and May, a city spokesperson tells Axios.

Why it matters: That's a record pace and would top the 2,703 picked up by the city last year if it continues.

The practice costs taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars each year.

State of play: Tires are highly flammable, hazardous to the environment and not picked up in regular garbage collections.

Proper disposal can cost as much as $30 a tire or $300 a ton for bulk loads at the Metro Park East Landfill.

The big picture: Some of the statewide dumping problems are linked with unregistered haulers who charge residents or businesses for disposal and then illegally abandon the tires in fields, wooded areas or even storage units, according to the Iowa DNR.

Two men were assessed the maximum $10,000 fine last year in a case linked to about 16,000 tires illegally stored at a site in Davenport.

Be smart: DSM allows residents to dispose of up to 10 tires for free during its SCRUB events, which are generally the third Saturday of each month between March and November.

Saturday's SCRUB is 7am-2pm.

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Illegal tire dumping hits record pace

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