The Department of Environmental Quality announced today that over 1.3 million scrap tires have been removed from an illegal disposal site located within the village of Barryton, Mecosta County that posed a fire and environmental hazard to Barryton and the adjacent Chippewa River. DEQ staff worked closely with Village President Richard Collins to clean up this large scrap tire pile and remove the potential threat to the environment and public health.

Runoff from scrap tire fires can contaminate surface water and groundwater, and scrap tire sites are an ideal habitat for the breeding of mosquitoes carrying disease such as the West Nile Virus.

This site was a source of concern for Barryton as the operator continued to stockpile additional scrap tires instead of recycling and marketing them as initially proposed. Mecosta County acquired title to the property through tax reversion in 2006 and immediately took responsibility for the scrap tire cleanup through the DEQ's Scrap Tire Cleanup Grant Program. Entech, Inc., a scrap tire processor located in White Pigeon, was hired by Mecosta County and as of June 2008, completely removed all of the scrap tires from the site.

The DEQ's Scrap Tire Program is charged with the responsibility of ensuring the proper disposal of all scrap tires generated in the state and the cleanup of existing scrap tire piles in amounts of 500 or more. Program staff regularly inspects scrap tire collection sites, processors, end-users, and generators, which include tire dealers and auto scrap yards. The DEQ's Scrap Tire Program is funded by a $1.50 vehicle title certificate fee collected by the Secretary of State.

For additional information about the DEQ's Scrap Tire Program, please visit http://www.michigan.gov/deq (click on "Waste" and then "Scrap Tires"). For more information about this Mecosta County cleanup site, please contact John Fischer of the DEQ's Waste and Hazardous Materials Division in the Grand Rapids District Office at (616) 356 0231.

Editor's note: DEQ news releases are available on the department's Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

"Protecting Michigan's Environment, Ensuring Michigan's Future"

Revised July 21, 2008 by Pat Watson