COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Palmetto Pride, and the SC Department of Natural Resources have joined together in an effort to curb illegal tire dumps throughout the state.
The "See It, Report It" campaign is aimed at eliminating unpermitted tire stockpiles, which can pose both public health and environmental risks.
Most waste tires are properly disposed of by permitted facilities and are frequently used as a substitute for gravel or other aggregates in septic tank drain fields or other drainage applications. Tires also can be recycled into rubberized playground surfaces, landscaping mulch, truck bed mats and other products. However, despite the resources available for proper tire disposal, illegal dump sites occur around the state.
Unless a site’s owner is properly permitted by DHEC as a waste tire facility, a stockpile of tires is illegal. Residents should never let someone dump tires on their property, as landowners could be held liable for associated cleanup costs.
"See It, Report It" encourages residents to quickly and anonymously report tire dumps by calling the Litter Buster Hotline at 1-877-7LITTER or using the “Report a Litterbug” option at www.palmettopride.org.
For more information about waste tires in South Carolina, visit www.scdhec.gov/tires or call DHEC’s Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling at 1-800-768-7348
