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For Additional Information Contact:
Kurt Hunter, Hazardous Materials/Recycling Specialist
755-1300
SALINAS VALLEY SOLID WASTE AUTHORITY CLEANS UP LOCAL TIRE STOCKPILES
Salinas, CA
November 8, 2002
An unsightly collection
of over 4,500 old tires illegally stockpiled in several locations throughout
the Salinas Valley have been successfully removed.
A cleanup operation at four sites located
within the Waste Authority’s service area was orchestrated by the
SVSWA through a $9,500 grant received from the California Integrated Waste
Management Board (CIWMB).
“With the cooperation of Scrap Tire
Co-op of Stockton, CA and manpower contributed from the landowners where
the tires have been stockpiled, the tire piles were removed before they
posed a threat to the public health and safety,” says Kurt Hunter,
Hazardous Materials/Recycling Specialist for the Authority. He added,
“These tire piles serve as a reservoir for rainwater and provide
a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other unwanted pests. With the threat
of the West Nile Virus it was important that these waste tires be removed
before they became a further threat to the environment and the residents
of the Salinas Valley.”
New ways to reuse scrap tires are being
encouraged through tire grant programs such as this one. As an example,
a portion of the tires from this cleanup effort will be shredded and used
for landfill cover or used for recycled rubber.
Hunter added, “Cleaning up existing
tire piles is critical to protecting the environment, but the long-term
solution is to develop sustainable markets that will transform tires from
being a problem into being a commodity.”
Statistics show that one tire per person
is generated per year. The state is faced with the challenge of diverting
or safely managing over 31 million reusable and waste tires annually generated
in the state. An estimated 3 million used tires remain stockpiled at various
locations throughout California as well as in Monterey County.
In an effort to expand on the tire cleanup
efforts, the Authority will be organizing countywide tire collection events
in 2003. It is anticipated that up to 30,000 tires will be collected during
these events.
The Authority, formed in 1997, is a joint powers agency made
up of the cities of Gonzales, Greenfield, King City, Salinas, Soledad
as well as the eastern half of unincorporated Monterey County. They promote
the environmental health of the Salinas Valley through planning, public
education and management of an innovative solid waste system. The Authority
can be reached at 755-1300 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday
or on the web at www.svswa.org.
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