Legislators Announce State-Wide Changes to Georgia’s Scrap Tire Regulations

Georgia Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta) and State Rep. Pat Gardner (D-Atlanta) held a press conference at the Capitol on July 8 to educate Georgians on updated regulations of Georgia’s scrap tire law. Sen. Orrock and Rep. Gardner were joined by Atlanta City Council members Joyce Sheperd and Felicia Moore, as well as other state policy makers.

“State laws have been strengthened to better track the storage, hauling, and disposing of used tires,” Sen. Orrock said. “And we are very committed to assist cities and counties to curb illegal scrap tire dumps that threaten neighborhoods and property values,” she said.

House Bill 226 was originally introduced in the Georgia House by State Rep. Randy Nix (R – LaGrange) and grew out of local legislation created by Councilmember Sheperd to combat illegal tire dumping in Atlanta. HB 226 was passed by the 2013 Georgia General Assembly during in 2013 session and became state law April 30, 2013. New regulations clarify the use and placement of carrier and storage decals.

According to the new rules, persons collecting or transporting scrap or used tires must have a tire carrier permit and display a decal on their vehicles, including trailers. Also, the carriers and scrap tire processors must have a minimum $10,000 surety bond.

Under the new storage requirements, scrap tires must be stored in a locked enclosure or otherwise adequately secured to prevent unauthorized access, unless the Environmental Protection Department grants a waiver.

“The legislation was needed because an estimated 10 million vehicle tires are discarded in Georgia every year,” said Atlanta City Councilmember Joyce Sheperd. “My colleagues and I are confronted with illegal dump sites weekly. Literally thousands of tires are collected in the city along in vacant lots, abandoned subdivisions and along our rivers and streams. It’s not just a problem impacting Atlanta. It’s a pervasive problem across our state. I commend our state house and senate representatives for providing us with what can be an effective statewide tool to regulate the transport and storage of scrap tires, in hopes of further cracking down on illegal tire dumpers.”

The deadline for existing carriers to obtain this decal is August 1, 2014. A summary of the new carrier and storage requirements are available on the Georgia Environmental Protection Division website.

© Scrap Tire News, August 2014