US disposes of 50,000-tyre dump

ERJ staff report (DS)

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania -- The US Department of Environmental Protection said it has completed the clean-up of the former Jake Ours Family Junkyard abandoned tyre pile in Rochester Township, Beaver County, which was estimated to have held more than 50,000 truck and bus tyres. Remediation activities, completed by lowest bidder Magnum Industries of Northern Cambria, Cambria County, took about 30 days.

While the total amount of tyres located throughout the site was estimated at 50,000, the total weight of material removed exceeded 800 tons, a much higher volume than DEP's original estimate, since the majority of the tyres had the steel wheels intact. This site cleanup, one of the top-ranked sites on DEP's Priority Abandoned Tyre Pile list, marks the first of this magnitude in more than five years.

"The remediation of this junkyard has eliminated potential health and environmental hazards that have existed for nearly three decades," Secretary Mike Krancer said. "These sites are not only an eyesore, but also a breeding ground for mosquitoes and a potential fire hazard."

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Press release from DEP