As we switch out our winter tires for summer ones in the Sea to Sky, some of us will be left with tires we can no longer use.
What to do?
A series of corridor events are coming up that can take them off your hands, free of charge.
Tire Stewardship BC is hosting an event on April 20 in Whistler from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Nesters Waste Depot, 8010 Nesters Rd. Three collection events are also to be held on May 6, 8, and 12 at the Devine Transfer Station, 9575 Pemberton Portage Rd., five kilometres south of D'Arcy.
The environmental not-for-profit collects the used tires—rim on or off—and recycles them.
"They are recycled and turned into new, useful products that circle back into British Columbia’s economy, such as: playground surfaces, athletic tracks, and commercial flooring and roofing. Rubber and steel is also recovered in the tire recycling process," reads a news release about the initiative.
Rosemary Sutton, executive director of Tire Stewardship BC, told The Squamish Chief that there is more to consider than recycling, though.
With wildfire season almost upon us, it is advisable to remove tires that could not only burn near homes but also emit fumes.
"Unfortunately for most of us, we are very much aware of fire season in British Columbia. And so if that can be the impetus for someone to bring those into a tire collection event, that would just be ideal," she said.
Also, old stacked-up tires can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes and West Nile Virus.
"Very often, people either leave [tires] as single units, or they stack them. And so when it rains, that water will get into ... the inner part of the tire," she said. "That doesn't just pour out; it sits, and it's that sitting sort of still water that is a breeding habitat for mosquitoes. And then mosquitoes, of course, are the ones that will transmit the West Nile virus."
According to Infection, Prevention and Control Canada, human test results in Canada have confirmed the virus exists in all provinces except PEI and Newfoundland.
Grants
Sutton noted that Tire Stewardship BC provides grants to organizations across the province that have chosen to use recycled tire rubber for community projects.
She said application projects have included arena flooring, walkways, running tracks, and the like.
So far, more than $6 million has been given out in grants.
For more information on the collection program or the grants, go to the Tire Stewardship BC website.
Other options
In B.C., folks can also leave their old tires with retailers when purchasing new ones.
Locals can search for a nearby outlet that takes tires year-round on the Tire Stewardship BC site.
Last year, events like these collected 6,000 old and used tires for repurposing.
Since 1991, more than 100 million tires have been recycled in B.C.
