California Gets Tough on Tire Offenders: State Approves $6.6 Million to Aid Enforcement Actions

SACRAMENTO--Today the California Integrated Waste Management Board awarded more than $6 million to cities and counties responsible for managing and regulating waste tires.

"Jurisdictions that are working hard to successfully track and manage waste tires in accordance with state laws can use a helping hand," said Board Chair Margo Reid Brown. "The Board is committed to protecting taxpayers, as well as the environment, by making sure old tires are properly handled."

The funds will be utilized by more than three dozen local enforcement agencies to continue efforts to identify illegal waste tire piles, inspect tire facilities and haulers, investigate complaints, examine waste tire hauler registration and documents, and train the industry on California waste tire regulations. More than 75 percent of the 42 million waste tires generated annually in the state are recycled. But the remaining tires--more than 10 million--represent an ongoing challenge for cities and counties looking to properly manage the automotive discards, in compliance with state regulations.

These monies are available through the Board's Waste Tire Enforcement Grants Program, funded from the $1.75 fee the state collects on the sale of each new tire in California. The Board receives $1.00 of this amount. The remaining portion of the tire fee is used to fund tire-related air emission programs.

Funds from the program are awarded to local government agencies with 50 or more waste tire facilities within their jurisdictions and can be used to pay for up to $600,000 worth of tire enforcement projects annually.

The grants can be dedicated to education, equipment, maintenance, personnel, training, communications, and a variety of other expenses related to a jurisdiction's waste tire management and surveillance programs.

Today's approved grants

The Board today approved 42 grants to the following jurisdictions, many of which are past recipients of funding from the state waste management office:

Recipient Grant Funding

Alameda County, $210,000
Butte County, $122,723
Calaveras County, $127,300
Contra Costa County, $210,000
Fresno County, $273,645
Imperial County, $90,000
Kern County, $181,193
Lake County, $85,253
Los Angeles County, $583,912
Madera County, $72,018
Marin County, $175,836
Mendocino County, $92,363
Merced County, $81,895
Monterey County, $233,451
Napa County, $89,237
Nevada County, $99,782
Placer County, $259,764
Riverside County, $215,316
Sacramento County, $364,228
San Joaquin County, $227,745
San Luis Obispo County, $80,643
San Mateo County, $156,012
Santa Clara County, $193,401
Solano County, $289,981
Sonoma County, $208,798
Stanislaus County, $101,442
Tuolumne County, $77,138
Yolo County ,$90,000
Yuba-Sutter County, $90,000
City of Adelanto, $42,549
City of Bakersfield ,$60,233
City of Berkeley, $230,469
City of Fresno, $211,708
City of Los Angeles, $194,814
City of Madera, $28,571
City of Modesto, $69,444
City of National City, $31,803
City of San Bernardino, $28,802
City of San Diego, $210,000
City of San Jose, $304,365
City of Sunnyvale, $35,877
City of Victorville, $88,234

Total: $6,619,945

The California Integrated Waste Management Board is the state's leading authority on recycling and waste reduction. It promotes reducing waste whenever possible, managing all materials to their highest and best use and protecting public health and safety and the environment.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board is one of six boards, departments, and offices within the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA).

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