Obtaining the cooperation of the responsible party to clean up their property and avoiding the use of statefunds is the preferred approach. Some clean up projects, however, require more assistance from the Maryland Used Tire and Recycling Fund. The fund, which was established in 1991, is generated from the collection of one dollar for every new tire sold in Maryland. In addition to scrap tire cleanup programs, MDE uses the funds to implement a licensing program to prevent the formation of potentially hazardous stockpiles. The funds also are used for special projects to promote the beneficial uses of scrap tires such as the construction of scrap tire playgrounds in state parks.
Scrap tires present a unique environmental challenge.
If ignited, the pile is a formidable problem for firefighters. The heat from such a blaze is intense, long lasting, and generates thick black smoke with a noxious odor. The resulting fire can produce oil from melted tires, which pollutes soils, ground and surface waters. The scrap tire pile also is a breeding ground for mosquitoes that lay their eggs in pools of water that collect inside the tires after rainfall. The Maryland Used Tire and Recycling Fund provides the resources necessary to prevent such stockpiles and to clean them up once discovered.