Illinois EPA Conducts Used Tire Removal Action in Fifteen Southern Illinois Counties

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois EPA Acting Director Alec Messina has announced the completion of used tire removal actions that included fifteen southern Illinois counties. The Agency’s efforts are part of Illinois’ plan to reduce the threat of mosquito-borne diseases by removing used tires from public and abandoned properties. To date, more than 318 tons of used tires have been removed in Southern Illinois since the announcement of the Mosquito Reduction Strategy.

“The coordinated efforts between Illinois EPA and our local government partners have made the Strategy a success,” said Acting Director Messina. “These collections benefit our communities by removing thousands of mosquito breading habitats while properly disposing hundreds of tons of used tires.”

The Illinois EPA and Department of Public Health announced the coordinated Mosquito Reduction Strategy in July. Under the plan, Illinois EPA will remove used tires from certain locations across Illinois. Improperly disposed used tires serve as habitats for disease-carrying insects, particularly mosquitoes. The two agencies have divided the state into three priority zones for used tire removals. The zones are based on where Illinois would more likely see the Zika virus, such as the southern counties that typically have hotter weather. Zone 1 is the highest priority area and is defined by a straight east-west line going through Effingham and areas south of that line.

The used tire removal actions in the following counties, completed the week of August 8-12, resulted in 27.89 tons of used tires being properly disposed:

• Gallatin County in cooperation with the Gallatin County Highway Department.
• Hamilton County in cooperation with the Hamilton County Highway Department and the City of McLeansboro.
• Saline County in cooperation with the Harrisburg Township and Egyptian Health Department.
• White County in cooperation with the Egyptian Health Department.

The used tire removal actions in the following counties, completed the week of August 15-19, resulted in 36.34 tons of used tires being properly disposed:

• Clay County
• Edwards County in cooperation with the Edwards County Highway Department.  
• Lawrence County in cooperation with the Lawrenceville Street Department.
• Richland County in cooperation with the Richland County Highway Department.
• Wabash County in cooperation with the Wabash County Highway Department.
• Wayne County in cooperation with the Wayne County Highway Department.

The used tire removal actions in the following counties, completed throughout August, resulted in 83.82 tons of used tires being properly disposed:

• Franklin County in cooperation with the Franklin County Highway Department.
• Jackson County in cooperation with the Jackson County Health Department and Highway Department.
• Jefferson County in cooperation with the Jefferson County Highway Department and Mt. Vernon Public Works Department.
• Perry County in cooperation with the Perry County Highway Department and County Solid Waste Management.
• Williamson County in cooperation with the Williamson County Highway Department.

Units of local government have assisted in the coordination of the collections, which have allowed the Illinois EPA to collect and properly dispose of the waste tires that have been collected from public properties, including roadsides, public parks and abandoned sites.

Through the Used Tire Program, used tires are properly disposed of at a registered, commercial used tire processing facility in Illinois. Some tires are retreaded and reused, and others are recycled into a variety of products and uses; but most are shredded into a high-energy fuel supplement known as tire-derived fuel and are burned in power plants, industrial boilers or cement kilns for energy recovery. The Illinois EPA's Used Tire Program is funded by a $2.50 per tire fee that consumers pay when purchasing tires at retail.