Tire Collection Day
The City of Lufkin Recycling Center and Angelina Beautiful/Clean (AB/C) are partnering for the annual “Tire Recycling Day” on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 500 Southpark Dr., Lufkin, TX 75901 from 9 am to 12 noon.
This event is a convenient way for East Texans to properly dispose of unwanted or old tires. In an effort to cut down on illegal dumping and minimize health risks to the public and the environment, people will be able to dispose of up to four regular tires at no charge. Car and small engine batteries can also be disposed of at this year’s event.
Additional car and light truck tires are accepted but will cost $2.00 for each tire, and semi-truck tires will cost $5.00 each. Off-road tires will NOT be accepted. The event is open to citizens only; no businesses. Individuals do not need to be a resident of Angelina County in order to participate; there are no residency requirements.
Per Emily Thornton, AB/C Executive Director, “Illegal dumping is a concern not only as unsightly litter but can cause health concerns to the public as well. Old tires provide shelter for rodents and can trap water, providing a breeding ground for mosquitoes. In landfills, tires consume up to 75 percent air space which can become a problem over time with limited land space. In addition, tires may become buoyant if they trap methane gases which can rupture landfill liners thus polluting surface and groundwater.”
The Regional Recycling Center collects an average of more than 4,000 tires each year during this event annually. Reclaimed tires can find useful life after they are no longer suitable for vehicle use. Tires that get turned into events like this one can be repurposed to turn into fuel, hot melt asphalt, garden bark mulch, playground equipment, shoes, and many other types of products. By recycling items like tires, it helps to reduce the waste stream by not only reducing landfill space but also utilizing materials that already exist instead of continually having to extract new raw material from the Earth.