Cumberland County plans tire collection event for late May or late June

The county commissioners Thursday approved a request from recycling coordinator Justin Miller to launch what is being called a pilot program in collaboration with county Vector Control and the Keep PA Beautiful organization.

Miller outlined two scenarios for a three-day event that would run from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. One scenario calls for a low-end volume of two tons of tires collected while the other calls for a high-end volume of 10 tons.

Based on his projections, an event could cost the county between $1,145 and $3,470 in labor, freight and tipping fees while generating an estimated $600 to $3,000 in revenue.

The plan is to offset any shortfall with up to $800 in state grant money that the county will receive for mosquito habitat reduction.

Rainwater can collect inside a waste tire, creating an ideal environment for mosquitoes, which are known to transmit West Nile virus, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

To drop-off tires, county residents would have to pre-register, Miller said. The county plans to charge an average of $3 per tire, he said.

Cumberland County is basing this rate on a survey of what tire recycling companies and other counties charge, Miller said. “We came up with 15 cents a pound. The average tire is 20 pounds, so that’s $3 a tire. I don’t think we’re out of the ballpark. Some of the other counties are charging $4 to $5 a fire.”

He said going with a rate per pound is more equitable because there are always people who bring dirty tires to collection events. “They should pay for the extra weight,” Miller said.