An opportunity to easily and responsibly dispose of used tires is coming to Valentine, Nebraska. The North Central Nebraska RC&D in cooperation with the Middle Niobrara NRD is hosting a tire amnesty event with grant assistance from the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy. The collections are scheduled for Wednesday, April 30th, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Thursday, May 1st, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The goal is to remove 200 tons of tires in an environmentally friendly way.
Tires will only be accepted on the scheduled days and once 200 tons are received, the collection will close. Residents of the RC&D area, which includes the counties of Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Holt, Keya Paha, and Rock are encouraged to participate in the tire amnesty. All sizes of car, truck, pivot, semi, and tractor tires can be brought to the event. No rims will be taken and there will not be assistance in unloading tires.
“This is a great way for residents to clear away any unwanted or unused tires,” said Mike Burge, RC&D Chairman. “We want to make it easy to do the right thing with scrap tires. Accumulated tires are more than just an eyesore. They can also be unsafe. Old tires can be both a fire hazard and a breeding ground for mosquitoes and rodents.”
The collection site will be the City of Valentine’s lot located east of the Valentine High School. To help not exceed the tire amnesty weight goal, please bring either a count of each type of tire for smaller loads or a total weight for larger loads. A scale is available at Niobrara Valley Feed, located on West Highway 20 in Valentine. There is no cost to bring tires, however, donations to the RC&D support this and future recycling projects. Tire retailers as well as residents of South Dakota are not eligible to participate.
All tires brought to the event will be recycled by Champlin Tire Recycling, Concordia, Kansas. They process, manufacture, and market products derived from scrap tires such as park benches, picnic tables, silage covers, and feed bunks. If salvageable, tire casings are repaired and retreaded for resale.
If you have questions or are planning to bring a large quantity of tires, please call the North Central RC&D at 402-340-1530. Details are also available on www.northcentralrcd.com.
