The Union County Health Department is hosting a free tire collection day Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Union County Fairgrounds. Union County residents can drop off unwanted tires from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until trucks are full (whichever comes first).
“Scrap tires can collect water and become a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes,” said Allison Zandarski, environmental health program manager for the Union County Health Department. “We hope this fall tire clean up can help residents reduce the mosquito populations around their homes for the next mosquito season.”
Union County residents may bring tires to the Union County Fairgrounds, 845 N Main St, Marysville, Saturday, Oct. 19 starting at 9 a.m. Tires will be accepted until trucks are full or 1 p.m., whichever comes first. Only the Route 4 (also known as the Main Street) fairground entrance can be used. Only passenger tires such as car, SUV, truck, and van tires will be accepted. Tires must be off-rim. No tractor, semi-truck or other large tires will be accepted. There is limited space and tires will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
Ohio law states no more than 10 scrap tires can be transported without a special license. Residents may bring as many loads as they would like until the trucks are full, but can only transport up to 10 tires at a time.
This tire collection is free for all Union County residents through funding from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Special thanks to the Union County Agricultural Society for generously donating use of the fairgrounds.
“The tire collection is part of our on-going disease prevention efforts. Tires are a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. Tires are difficult to drain and are often left in one place collecting water year-round. By getting rid of tires that are left outside, we can eliminate some mosquito breeding grounds, which help reduce the overall mosquito population,” said Zandarski.
Mosquitoes are known to carry diseases like West Nile Virus and La Crosse encephalitis. These diseases can be spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. In addition to using bug spray and avoiding peak biting hours like dawn and dusk, eliminating standing water around your home is one of the best ways to prevent mosquito bites.
“When we reduce mosquito populations, we reduce the chances for them to spread disease,” Zandarski said.
The Union County Health Department is committed to preventing disease and protecting the health of Union County residents. To learn more about the free tire collection day or the Health Department’s mosquito control and surveillance program, please call 937-642-2053 or visit www.uchd.net.
