Grant County Fiscal Court in Kentucky has moved towards shutting down its waste tyre shredder after months of problems with the ageing equipment and concerns over its safety
At its 11 August meeting, the court unanimously approved a letter terminating Grant County’s Waste Tire Disposal Agreement with neighbouring Harrison and Pendleton Counties, Grant County News reports. The agreement will end 60 days after the counties receive the termination letter and Grant County will also notify local businesses that dispose of their waste tyres to the facility that it is no longer accepting them.
The decision follows months of issues with the county’s shredder. When talking about the possibility of repairing the machine and restarting operations, Grant County Judge/Executive Dills said there were concerns about the equipment’s outdated condition and safety, with District 3 Magistrate Roger Humphrey adding that, in his view, the machine “would not pass an OSHA inspection.”
The move could change the current state of waste tyre management in Grant County and the two neighbouring counties covered by the existing agreement, while the court did not set out an alternative processing agreement at the meeting, which leaves the future management of waste tyres to be determined.
According to the he Kentucky Division of Waste Management estimates that the state generates around 4 million waste tyres annually. Kentucky law requires tyre retailers, transporters and accumulators to register with state authorities and establishes management standards intended to reduce risks, including fires, water entrapment and mosquito infestations.
Kentucky also operates a statewide Waste Tire Collection Program, established in 1998, through which residents can bring their tyres to designated collection events at no cost. The programme is funded through a $2 fee on new replacement motor vehicle tyres, which goes into the Waste Tire Trust Fund to support scrap tyre management and the development of markets for recycled tyre products.
Sources: Grant County News, Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
