Tire Disposal & Recycling

Hundreds of tires left along a pathway.
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Waste Tire Recycling

Iowans generate more than 3 million waste tires each year. Proper management and disposal of waste tires is vital to ensure the quality of the environment and public health and safety. 

State laws, as well as DNR regulations and programs, are designed to ensure that waste tires are properly disposed of, while encouraging the processing and recycling of tire material into value added products and uses.

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Waste Tire Disposal & Storage Options

Iowa Law and administrative rules provide clear direction on the storage and disposal requirements for waste tires. Land disposal of waste tires has been prohibited since July 1, 1991. The burial or open burning of waste tires is strictly prohibited.

Learn more: Waste Tire Disposal Factsheet 

Quick Facts

  • The indoor or outdoor storage of waste tires in limited to 500 tires. Any tire storage beyond this limit will require a permit.
  • The open burning of waste tires is strictly prohibited.
  • Waste tires, including whole, cut, or shredded form, may not be dumped or buried on the landscape.
  • Whole waste tires (pneumatic) are banned from disposal at a sanitary landfill unless cut into pieces of 18 inches or less. A landfill shall accept a properly processed tire for disposal.

Iowa Laws

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Hazards of Improper Disposal of Waste Tires

Generators of any solid waste have a responsibility to properly dispose of such waste, so as to prevent and minimize any harm to land, air and water quality.

Proper disposal of waste tires through tire recyclers and processors is the best way to ensure that waste tires are properly disposed of. While the cost for improper disposal may seem less, improper disposal of waste tires may lead to problems down the road. 

Burning of Tires - Open burning of waste tires is prohibited by Iowa Law. Even if you are burning brush, construction debris, etc., do not include waste tires. Open burning of waste tires releases hazardous components and toxic gases, many of which are carcinogens.  Tire dumps or improperly managed stockpiles of waste tires that catch fire present serious risks to the environment:

  • Tire fires are difficult to extinguish. The components of a tire that makes it an excellent fuel source in a controlled environment also makes tire fires difficult to put out. Oily residues and gases released during combustion continue to fuel such fires, along with a continual source of oxygen from the open-spaces within and between tires in stockpiles.
  • Tire fires contaminate the soil and groundwater. The oil and ash created during tire fires can contaminate the ground, thus impacting the quality of our ground and surface wasters and the water that we drink with petroleum distillates, carcinogens and other toxins.

Risk of Disease - Tire dumps and improperly discarded tires are ideal breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents. Tires retain water, and their dark colored surfaces absorb sunlight, providing a warm and suitable environment for mosquitoes. These pests have the ability to transmit diseases to humans, including LaCrosse encephalitis and West Nile Virus, which can be fatal to humans. Other pests, rodents and vermin can find harborage in the intricate structures that the haphazardly discarded waste tires create.

Blight on the Landscape - Discarding of waste tires in ditches, ravines and sinkholes often times does not assist in any erosion control, but may allow water to stagnate and again add to the risk of disease by creating breeding grounds for pests. Improper use of waste tires in erosion control structures usually leads to waste tires that have been washed downstream and later deposited on river banks, flood plains or outwash areas. Discarding waste tires in public areas, roadsides or vacant lots attracts further dumping of other solid wastes, appliances and junk, and creates further nuisances and unsightliness.

The Real Cost to You - Improper disposal by dumping of waste tires isn't free; it will actually cost in the long run, as local government most likely will be left with the responsibility for cleanup of public areas, right-of-ways and abandoned properties where waste tires have been dumped. These costs are passed on to you through increased taxes, or you may find that local governments that spend money on clean-up of improperly discarded solid waste have far fewer dollars to use for maintenance of roadways, new road construction and other positive programs and services.

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