Ottawa County to recycle residents’ tires with grant

Discarded tires are more than eyesores. They collect water and become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. They are a fire hazard and eyesore and can leach chemicals into the surrounding environment.

A new grant-funded program in Ottawa County gives residents a way to rid themselves of old tires at little cost to them. The county’s department of environmental health is running the program.

Through Aug. 31, any Ottawa County resident may dispose of tires for $2 each. After that date, tire disposal will be $6.

The discount is thanks to a state grant rolled over from 2020 when the Ottawa County environmental sustainability centers could not operate due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Pilot program

This is the first long-term recycling program the county has attempted, though it has had tire recycling events in the past, she says.

Ottawa County Environmental Health Supervisor Kim Wolters, says this is a pilot program that the county hopes to extend well into the future. Ottawa County officials hope to apply for another grant from the Michigan State Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy next year to provide discount tire recycling.

Tire disposal is by appointment only and credit card-payment only, Wolters says.

Tires that have outlived their original purpose can continue to be useful in roadway projects, as playground coverings, or as a fuel source for power plants, says Wolters, who is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist.

“It actually can be considered a reusable resource,” Wolters says.

The county has four environmental sustainability centers:

• 14053 Quincy St., Holland

Tuesdays and Thursdays: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2 p.m.-4 p.m.

Second Saturday of the month: 8-11a.m.  

• 16850 Comstock Ave, Suite B, Grand Haven

Mondays and Wednesdays: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-4 p.m.

Fourth Saturday of the month: 8-11 a.m.  

• 15600 68th Ave., Coopersville

Mondays: Noon-4 p.m.

Wednesdays: 8 a.m.-Noon

Third Saturday of the month: 8-11 a.m.         

• 6693 Roger Drive, Jenison

Tuesdays: Noon-4 p.m.

Thursdays: 8 a.m.-Noon

First Saturday of the month: 8-11 a.m.

The sites also host the county’s household hazardous waste program where residents can safely deposit fertilizers, pesticides, flammable materials, rechargeable batteries, used oil, electronics, and more.

A food compost drop off program is also new at the sites this year.

“The whole point of our program is to help our residents be sustainable,” Wolters says.