The phrase "burnin’ rubber" is 32,000 tires closer to extinction following a recent weekend recycling blitz organized by Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) and the Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA).
The tires, which would be taller than 12 CN Towers if stacked one on top of another, were dropped off by Ontarians at 70 OARA member locations. Before Ontario’s used tires program came into effect last September, scrap tires were burned for fuel in cement kilns, illegally dumped, or added to growing stockpiles around Ontario.
As part of the recycling effort, OARA and its members, along with registered tire hauler Liberty Tire contributed over $64,000 to the Sunshine Foundation of Canada – an amount driven by the number of tires turned in by Ontarians over the weekend.
The charity makes dreams come true for children with severe disabilities and life-threatening illnesses.
The program tracks and manages how the approximately 12 million tires sold in Ontario every year are handled once they reach the end of their service life, diverting them from burning and landfill to processors that responsibly recycle them into other products, such as carpet underlay. The program also has a mandate to remove existing scrap tire stockpiles around the province.
Prior to the launch of the used tires program, Ontario residents were required to pay a fee to collectors to drop off used their tires. They can now drop off up to four used tires each for free at registered collectors, whereupon they are recycled by approved processors.
Visit www.OntarioTS.com for details on registered collectors across the province.
