HOUSTON – The city of Houston will begin enforcement of illegal tire dumping sites starting Friday, when the grace period for compliance with the city of Houston's scrap tire ordinance expires.
The ordinance, approved in 2015, requires scrap tire operations to register with the city and also establishes regulations and procedures for the safe transportation, storage, record keeping and proper disposal of scrap tires.
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“More than 19,000 tires have been hauled away since February as the city works to clean up illegal dump sites that can serve as breeding grounds for the mosquito-borne Zika virus,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “This is a huge problem in our neighborhoods, and we have to attack it from every angle.”
Businesses involved in the used/scrap tire business will be required to register and obtain a permit annually with the city.
Transporters will be required to display a city-issued decal on any vehicle being used to haul tires.
Tire generators must allow inspection of their records annually.
Inspectors will be visiting businesses on Friday to check for compliance.
The cost to register is $93.93 for a business that generates scrap tires, and $172 for entities that transport tires. Owners who refuse to register with the city will be ticketed. Fines are $250 per day per offense.
Residents can help reduce scrap tire issues by buying retreaded tires and properly maintaining their tires to extend the life and increase the chance that the tires can be retreaded.
The city also recommends puncturing holes in tire swings or dock tire bumpers so they won't hold water. That will help deter mosquito breeding grounds and prevent water accumulation in tires.