The City of Fort Worth's Environmental Services Department made a significant impact on illegal dumping by hosting four successful Scrap Tire Collection events across the city.
Spearheaded by the department’s Environmental Investigations Unit (EIU), these events provided residents with a free and convenient way to dispose of their used tires, offering an alternative to landfill disposal fees or illegal dumping. The primary goal was to promote a cleaner, greener Fort Worth by discouraging illegal dumping, reducing fire and environmental hazards, and encouraging material reuse.
The four collection events saw strong participation from Fort Worth residents, who brought in used tires and rims from various vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles, and SUVs. Collectively, over 1,200 used tires were collected for proper disposal, demonstrating the positive impact of community collaboration.
Instead of ending up in landfills, the collected tires will be given a new purpose. All-American Tire Recyclers (AATR), a green tire recycling facility contracted with the City, will process the tires into crumb rubber. This recycled material is used in various applications, including playground surfaces, asphalt, landscaping materials, and tire-derived fuel. Notably, crumb rubber from Fort Worth was even used in the asphalt padding of the end zones at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans during the recent Big Game.
AATR is a certified and insured tire recycling company licensed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for scrap tire management.
The City of Fort Worth extended special thanks to the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) for their cooperation and funding from the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in making these events possible. The city also thanked its residents for their ongoing support of environmental efforts and their contribution to the community's health and sustainability.
