Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful local affiliates Keep Cambria County Beautiful, PA CleanWays of Mifflin County, Keep Perry County Beautiful and PA CleanWays of Venango County are planning tire collections for late summer, early fall to help eliminate breeding areas for mosquitoes that could carry West Nile Virus.

The collections are sponsored in part by the Department of Environmental Protection’s DEP Household Hazardous Waste/Small Business Hazardous Waste Collection Program that allows them to keep the cost to the residents low.  (Click Here for a schedule of HHW events funded by DEP across the state.)

Last year, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful affiliates collected over 21,000 tires from residents, emphasizing the need for disposal options for hard to dispose items. 

“Disposal options for bulky items, including tires, has been scarce during the pandemic. I want to thank everyone for working through details to ensure the safety of the residents and workers, so that things we no longer want or need can be disposed of properly,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

Many bulky waste pick-ups, one-day special collections and recycling drop off facilities were cancelled or closed this spring due to COVID-19. As a result, tires that would have been brought in by local residents for recycling, instead have been laying around, potentially collecting water.

Scrap tires provide a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus. According to Ohio State, over the course of one breeding season, thousands of mosquitoes can be generated from just one water-filled tire.

In Pennsylvania, with the first probable case of West Nile Virus detected in a Potter County resident, it is smart to limit exposure to mosquitoes by reducing the opportunity for water to collect and become stagnant.

Residents are urged to store tires indoors, where they cannot collect water until they can be taken to a one-day tire collection event or permanent drop off site.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, its affiliates and partners worked through the pandemic to determine the safest way to continue to offer special collections to Pennsylvania residents.

Event coordinators are following all local, state and federal guidelines to reduce the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Residents bringing tires to collections are asked to preregister, remain in your vehicle, wear a facemask and bring exact change, if possible, to limit interaction between workers and residents. 

Special collections provide a convenient, affordable option for disposing items such as tires. In addition to providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus, tires that are stored outside or illegally dumped can leach toxic chemicals that contaminate soil and water causing serious harm to humans, wildlife and the environment.

Eliminate standing water and the threat of West Nile Virus around your home and neighborhood by removing old, unwanted tires.

Visit DEP’s West Nile Virus to learn more about this mosquito-borne disease.

For a tire collection near you, visit KPB Calendar of Events or contact your local county Recycling Coordinator.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to become a member.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.

Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up communities and keep them clean and KPB’s Electronics Waste website.

The  2020 Pick Up Pennsylvania Initiative will be held September 1 through November 30.  Questions should be directed to Michelle Dunn at 1-877-772-3673 Ext. 113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

(Photo: Westmoreland County Conservation District.)

[Posted: August 13, 2020]

8/17/2020