Tire waste is a huge problem in some communities, as people and businesses carelessly abandon old vehicle tires wherever they please.
Some citizens are taking it upon themselves to collect and properly dispose of used tires left behind in their beloved local forests.
In a post to r/DeTrashed, one Reddit user shared photos of a massive tire cleanup effort after a recent holiday.
The photos show scatterings of discarded tires among the trees and then piles of them neatly stacked along the road for pickup and proper disposal.
"After Thanksgiving tire roundup: 336 tires from 198 and 295 Maryland," the OP wrote in the caption.
The OP revealed that there are huge illegal dumping sites where they live, containing tens of thousands of tires. After collecting and stacking the tires, the OP called the county park service for pickup and disposal because there were far too many tires to haul away in a personal vehicle.
The OP's tire collection efforts are beneficial and inspiring because tires tossed into nature create significant health and environmental challenges.
Old tires ruin the natural beauty of outdoor spaces and leach petrochemicals, heavy metals, and rubber compounds into soil and groundwater. Tire degradation poses risks to human health, especially if tires are left near agricultural areas or drinking water sources.
Even worse, old tires often become breeding grounds for mosquitoes because they collect standing water. More mosquitoes equals even more disease risks to humans living near illegal dumping sites.
🗣️ Should we be actively working to kill invasive species?
🔘 Absolutely 💯
🔘 It depends on the species 🤔
🔘 I don't know 🤷
🔘 No — leave nature alone 🙅
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Fortunately, specialized facilities can recycle and repurpose old tires into other products, such as building materials and new tires.
If you discover illegally trashed tires where you live, contact your local recycling center or waste management facility to ask about any special tire programs or designated drop-off sites nearby.
r/DeTrashed followers were impressed by the OP's tire cleanup effort yet disgusted that anyone would dispose of so many tires this way.
In response to learning about a local man who dumped over 250,000 tires in Allegany County, one Redditor commented: "This infuriates me. I wonder what his punishment will be."
"One of the most impressive cleanups I've seen," another user wrote.
"I wish they would pay you," someone else said. "This is insane. Just an outstanding haul!"
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