Photo courtesy County of Hawaiʻi

(BIVN) – Over 5,000 tires from 472 vehicles were collected this weekend during the Toss Your Tires recycling event in Keaʻau. 

A total of 23 roll-off containers were filled in just five hours, prompting Hawaiʻi County officials to call the effort a success. 

“Sustainability on our island depends on each of us playing a role in caring for our ʻāina, our community, and our invaluable natural and cultural resources,” said Mayor Mitch Roth in a news release. “We are deeply encouraged by the community members who responsibly disposed of their tires this past weekend. Their actions have contributed to making our island cleaner, healthier, and more resilient.”

The Hawaiʻi County Department of Environmental Management says the recycled tires “are being repurposed into useful products and fuel for energy production outside Hawaiʻi.”

The County also provided this reminder on future tire disposal:

While this event was a great success, we encourage everyone to utilize existing tire disposal programs. State law requires tire retailers to accept used motor vehicle tires for recycling or disposal when you purchase new tires. This means you should turn in your old tires right at the point of sale, avoiding the need to store them at home. Turning in your tires when you buy new ones is the best way to keep them out of our landfills and our environment.

The Hawaiʻi County Department of Environmental Management also thanked the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, Lex Brodie’s Tires, Kea‘au Middle School “Greenwaves”, and Big Island Scrap Metal for their contributions to the event.