Tire disposal costs now in county's
hands
By Megan R. Harrell
STAR STAFF
McKittrick Tire Shredders Assoc. Inc. were at
the Carter County Landfill this week and removed 260 tons
of tires. McKittrick Inc. comes to the landfill once or twice
a year to shred and dispose of Carter County's old tires.
The service costs the county approximately $70 per ton. The
state grant that paid for the disposal of tires has been cut
in half because of budget restraints and the cost has ended
up in the county's lap.
Two years ago the state gave Carter County $40,000
in grant funds to dispose of tires. This year the state has
allocated only $22,000 and this week's shredding is estimated
to cost the same amount. It will be six months before the
state sends more funds. The County Commission is responsible
for the remainder of funds needed to pay for any additional
shredding.
The Commission must decide whether to impose
a tax to pay for tire disposal or institute a fee for dumping
tires that state law requires the county landfill to accept.
Carefully monitored air pollution laws prevent the county
from burning tires. It is also illegal to bury tires because
of ground contamination.
State laws do not allow the county to charge
the public for dumping tires if state funds cover the cost
of disposal. After the funds are gone, however, the public
may be charged a fee. Carter County Executive Truman Clark
will propose that the Commission do just that. The fee will
take care of the costs no longer covered by state revenue
so the landfill can continue to accept the public's old tires.
The fee will only affect tire dealers that dump
at the landfill. Dealers that were never charged in the past
will be charged $75 per ton of tires. The private residents
will continue to pay $1 per tire they bring to the landfill.
The surplus from the tire fees will go to the
county to cover the cost of servicing and housing the tires.
"We service on tipping fees. We do it all on what we generate
here in revenue," said Ed Buckles, Solid Waste Director.
Each county in Tennessee will have similar situations
to deal with because of the state budget crunch. Neighboring
counties have to pay as much as $90 a ton to dispose of tires
and their fees for dumping are higher than Carter County's.
"We are going to have to make sure that we do not take tires
from other counties at our landfill," Clark said.
The County Commission is expected to make a decision
on the fees for disposal the second week in January.
