CENTRAL HIGH — When you’re unemployed for seven months, you have time to really look around and evaluate your surroundings. Beth Newvine of Central High found herself in that situation and what began as a personal project has become a community issue that will better the environment.

“I got tired of seeing all the tires on Bill McCarley’s property right there by State Highway 7. I started making calls to see what could be done,” Newvine said.

As Newvine researched ways to get the tires collected, not to mention the 15 she has on her own country property, she found out that by making it a tire recycling event, the state would provide an exemption.

“It won’t cost anyone, not even the people who have tires. If you were to do it yourself, they charge like $1 a tire (for proper disposal),” she said.

Yet, Newvine couldn’t get the exemption without making the effort a public outreach.

“It is an environmental and health issue. What happens is that you get rats and mice that live in the tires and they carry disease. Then when water gets in them, mosquitos breed,” she said. “If there’s a wildfire, the burning rubber puts off noxious fumes and of course, when that gets wet, it sinks into the ground.”

McCarley said he’s more than pleased to have the tires removed from his property. The tires aren’t visible from the highway. 

“I tried to give them away plenty of times, but nobody would take them,” he said, laughing.

The several hundred tires once had a purpose. McCarley had one of the last remaining dairy farms in the state. During its operational days, the tires were used to hold the plastic over the feed in the silage pit.

“That pit is 300 feet long and the grain would be stacked four or five feet higher then the pit. We’d use the tires to hold the plastic so the feed wouldn’t blow away,” he said. McCarley closed his dairy farm in March 2001.

McCarley praised Newvine who came out to the pit to stack and move tires.

“Beth and her daughter came out and worked really hard to get those stacked on one side. They weren’t like they are now,” he said.

McCarley suggested that the trailer be drove right into the pit for easier stacking of the tires. Yet Newvine faced a dilemma.

“I needed manpower. I mentioned it to the ag teacher out here at Central High and he was glad to help,” she said.

Ron Curry and several FFA members will load the tires from location, and transport them to local business Four D Corporation. McCarley has been a long supporter of the FFA program.

“We get them cleaned up, they get a service project and we’re all happy,” McCarley said.

Four D Corporation, which handles recycling of rubber tires, will get paid by the state, Newvine said, to handle the disposal of the tires collected.

The recycling drop off will be open to all Central High residents and others can bring their tires in if they want, she said. There is one disabled resident that Newvine plans on helping get tires off his property.

“Hopefully, by next year this time, we’ll be able to do agricultural tires, but not at this time. The state has not approved it,” she said.

Only used car and truck tires will be accepted at the drop off area, which was approved by Central High town council.

CH Mayor Julie McKinney said illegal dumping of tires is a big problem in the community, and while she doesn’t expect anyone to pick up the trash tires that are around the rural countryside, the volunteer efforts would not go unnoticed. Also, she said, the recycling days are a great way for many people to get rid of their unused tires the right way.

The tire recycling point will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 21, 22 and 23, south of the Central High Town Hall.

“It is free to drop off tires at this event,” Newvine said. “This is an opportunity for individuals to recycle car, truck and motorcycle tires they have accumulated over the years.”

Newvine said there are some regulations, the event is not for tire dealers, and tires with rims, ATV and agricultural tires will not be accepted.

In conjunction with the drop off, CH Volunteer Fire Department will host its annual Open House event, from 2 to 6 p.m. May 22.

Mayor McKinney said people could drop off their tires and then attend the open house.

  “If you have used tires but are unable to bring the tires to the collection center, please contact us to arrange for a pick-up,” Newvine said. 

For information, please call (580) 658-5787.



— Toni Hopper is a reporter for The Duncan Banner. She can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 132 or by e-mail at: toni.hopper@duncanbanner.com.