News Release 416

TIRE DUMP ROUNDUP CLEANUP PROGRAM
HELPS PREVENT WEST NILE VIRUS

Volume 36-416

Contact: Renee Bungart

(For immediate release)

573-751-4465

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, JULY 18, 2008 -- Thunderstorms and hot, humid weather have signaled the height of summer in Missouri and created an ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes.  Mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus often breed in scrap tires that hold stagnant water in moist, humid climates, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

In 2007, there were 77 cases and five fatalities of West Nile virus in Missouri. The department suggests now is a great time to enroll in the department's Tire Dump Roundup Program.  The program allows property owners to rid their property of unwanted scrap tires at no cost and reduces the chances of spreading the West Nile virus.

Enrollment into the Tire Dump Roundup Program is limited to sites containing approximately 500 to 10,000 tires.  Active businesses and property owners who have participated in prior cleanup initiatives are not eligible.  The program allows Missouri private property owners to self-report tire dumps on their property and have them cleaned up for free.  The owner must sign an access agreement that states if a property owner violates the solid waste management law in the future, the department can proceed with assessing penalties and cost recovery for the cleanup. 

The Department of Natural Resources established the Tire Dump Roundup Program in November 2006.  Over the last 20 months, 184 sites containing an estimated 573,498 tires have met the qualifications and enrolled in the program.  To date, 94 of those sites, containing a total of 409,911 tires, have been cleaned up and removed from Missouri's environment.  The Missouri Vocational Enterprises provides the labor for the cleanups.

Other financial incentive programs are available to those who do not qualify for the Tire Dump Roundup Program.  The Department of Natural Resources continues to work with Missouri's solid waste management districts and nonprofit citizens groups in facilitating the cleaning up of dumpsites that contain less than 500 tires.

The Scrap Tire Fee, a 50-cent-per-tire fee charged on every new tire purchased in Missouri, funds the cleanups.  Since the fee was established in 1990, more than 15 million tires have been removed from Missouri's environment.  The fee will expire on Jan. 1, 2010, unless extended by the legislature.

When recycled properly, scrap tires have other beneficial uses.  They can be made into playground surfaces, running tracks, recycled rubber products and can even be burned for fuel in power plants.  In 2005 and 2006, more than 5.5 million tires were used as tire-derived-fuel in power plants.  The department is also working with the Missouri Department of Transportation to promote the use of scrap tires in asphalt for Missouri's roadways.

For more information or to sign up for the program, contact the Department of Natural Resources' Scrap Tire Unit at 800-361-4827 or 573-526-3909.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel.  For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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