Houston residents can recycle old tires for free this week
Houston County residents with some old tires to unload can do so at no cost this week.
The county is having a “tire amnesty” at the landfill and two other locations from Thursday to Saturday. County residents, including those who live in Warner Robins, Centerville and Perry, can bring tires at no cost. Ordinarily the landfill charges $180 per ton, which works out to three or four dollars per tire, said Terry Dietsch, the landfill supervisor.
Illegal tire dumping is a common problem, he said, so he hopes the amnesty will cut down on some of that. The amnesty does not apply to businesses. Tire dealers are supposed to pay for a recycler to take old tires directly.
The county does not put tires in the landfill. The county hauls the tires to a recycler in Jackson, which charges $125 per ton or more depending on the size of the tires.
Dietsch is expecting the amnesty event to be busy.
“I think we are going to have an overwhelming response, based on the calls we are getting,” Dietsch said.
He isn’t sure why people end up with old tires. When new tires are installed on a car, the customer pays a disposal fee, even if the customer takes the old tires. Dietsch believes some people decide they want the old tires, then decide later to get rid of them.
He said it’s the first time he is aware of that the county is having a tire amnesty. It is being funded by a state grant that is paying the county’s cost of disposing of the tires. The grant comes from a $1 fee charged on new tires, separate from the disposal fee, that covers the cost of addressing the illegal dumping of tires.
The event also coincides with Earth Day, which is Saturday. It takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at the landfill at 2080 Ga. 247, the county annex at 200 Carl Vinson Parkway, and the county Purchasing Department at 2020 Kings Chapel Road in Perry. The tires should not have rims attached.
There is no limit on the number of tires people can bring, but license plate numbers may be checked on large loads to ensure that businesses are not abusing the opportunity. Dietsch said identifications will be checked to confirm residency.
Tires that still have the rims attached will not be accepted.
Anyone with questions can call the landfill at 478-987-0089.
This story was originally published April 18, 2017 at 2:53 PM with the headline "Houston residents can recycle old tires for free this week."