Residents of Ramona and the surrounding unincorporated areas in San Diego County turned in hundreds of used passenger and small truck tires during a free tire recycling day at Ramona, June 19.
Since the State banned disposal of whole tires at landfills in California in 1993, the County of San Diego has offered amnesty days and public education for recycling and disposal of tires funded partially through state grants. Several events have been held throughout the County in unincorporated areas already in 2010.
Recycled tires are used to make rubberized asphalt concrete (RAC) often used in road construction and repaving. The RAC lasts longer and produces a quieter ride for vehicle traffic.
Illegally abandoned tires continue to be a problem on County roadways and throughout the rural areas of the unincorporated area. Tires are an excellent breeding environment for mosquitoes, a known vector for West Nile virus, malaria, and encephalitis. In addition, the threat of fire and further illegal dumping is always a critical concern in the region.
“More registered drivers live in California than any other state, which generates more than 44 million tires,” Chairwoman Pam Slater-Price said. “Some of this waste ends up on the side of roads or in landfills. Recycling vehicle tires makes for a safe, clean and ‘green’ community.”
At the free tire recycling events, residents could recycle up to nine tires per vehicle - reasonably clean and free of excessive dirt or other foreign matter, with the inside tire diameter size limited to 16.5 inches. Tires mounted on rims, large truck tires or tires from business or commercial sources are not accepted.
This one-day recycling event was sponsored by the County of San Diego Recycling Program and a grant from the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). Support for the event was also provided by Ramona Unified School District.
Call the County’s Recycling and Household Hazardous Waste at 1-877-R-1-EARTH (1-877-713-2784) for more information on tire recycling. Watch this site for future recycling events, or go to DPW recycling website
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