The city of Iowa City, Iowa is looking at alternatives to its tire collection and recycling program after the funding it received from the state ended. The city, which was awarded $94,298 for a six-year program to take in tires free of charge, is looking at alternative programs now that the funding has ended. The funding came from the state of Iowa’s Department of Natural Resources.
One step the city is taking is continuing the program, although it is looking at charging a modest fee for residents of the city to drop off their used tires.
Brad Neumann, solid waste management planner for the Johnson County Council of Governments, said that while the program funded through the state ended the middle of this year, the city wants to propose to do a similar program, although a charge of $.75 per automobile tire would be imposed on people dropping off tires at the city-owned landfill. Tires from trucks, tractors, and other vehicles would see a slightly higher per-tire charge.
One other change in the program would be the time when the program would operate. While during the early stages of the state-funded program the collection service was operated for a week or two at a time, under the more streamlined operation the collection program would be available perhaps in a weekend or a much shorter period of time.
The normal rate is $1.50, so this would be a half-price deal funded by a state-mandated surcharge the city collects per ton of waste dumped at the landfill.
Davidson said that when people bring waste to the landfill, state law requires the city to collect a surcharge of $3.25. That amount is included in the waste fee, which is $38.50 per ton for Iowa City residents and $43.50 per ton for rural residents.
The city gets to keep a portion of the surcharge and must use that money for programs such as the waste collection service. Those funds will allow the city to offer half-price tire waste collection for one to two weeks this spring. A proposed date for the drop-off has not yet been established.
According to local press reports, during the six years the free program was offered, the landfill collected 50,618 tires.
Neumann acknowledged that despite the minimal cost to deliver tires to the landfill, the fact that there is now a charge to dispose of the tire will likely reduce the amount of tires being delivered.Latest from Recycling Today
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