Kincardine to become collector of used tires
By Liz Dadson
 

Kincardine Council

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The Municipality of Kincardine will become a collector of used tires under the provincial government's new, industry-funded program to deal with the more than 12-million used tires generated each year.

In committee-of-the-whole at the August planning and corporate services meeting, deputy mayor Laura Haight explained what was discussed at the last public works meeting.

"We have tires of our own that have to be recycled," she said, "but basically, we'll become a collector of used tires. They will then be shipped to Hamilton to a recycler there. The province has said if we collect the used tires, they'll give us a subsidy."

The program, which begins Sept. 1, is to be delivered by Ontario Tire Stewardship. According to a government press release, it will see 91 per cent of used car and truck tires recycled into higher-end uses in year one; clean up the nearly three million used tires stockpiled across the province; include the recycling of large industrial and off-road tires which are currently not collected or recycled; and include funding for public education programs and research into greener way to recycle tires. At present, only half of the car and truck tires are recycled. The new recycling program will be paid for through fees collected by Ontario Tire Stewardship, from brand owners, importers and vehicle manufacturers. No fees go to the government.

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27/08/2009 09:02 PM

Haight said a number of businesses, including the municipality, will register as used tire collectors and receive the subsidy. "We can't take in piles of tires," she said. "There is significant paperwork for tracking them."

"What happened to a tax on tires to get rid of them?" asked councillor Mike Leggett.

Mayor Larry Kraemer said the tire tax was applied but the money was never used to get rid of used tires. "Now, the tire tax will be paid by the manufacturer or primary distributor," he said. "So, as of Sept. 1, every passenger tire in Ontario will cost about $6 more and that money will be used to dispose of the tires."

"We're not in the business of changing tires so all we'll be getting are old tires coming to the landfill," said councillor Ron Hewitt. "We'll be collecting them for free and putting them into this program."

"The municipality would be collecting tires that never paid the tires tax, yes," said Kraemer.

Haight said there are wide open gaps in this program because a resident can bring up to four used tires to the dump for free. More than that, and he pays a standardized rate. "It's unclear to me if this will relieve the backlog of used tires in the countryside," she said.