Scrap Tire Disposal & Recycling

Scrap tires are one of the most heavily restricted everyday waste streams, which is why they are excluded from ordinary trash pickup and roll-off dumpsters.

Landfill Bans: The large majority of US states ban whole tires from landfills, and many ban shredded tires as well. Haulers reject tires found in dumpsters and may charge contamination fees.

They Do Not Break Down: Tires are engineered to resist heat, water, and sunlight. Buried whole, they trap gases and "float" back to the surface, damaging landfill caps and liners.

Fire Risk: Tire stockpiles are difficult to extinguish, can burn for weeks or months, and release oily runoff and toxic smoke. This is a primary reason for strict storage limits.

Mosquito and Pest Habitat: Standing water inside stored tires is an ideal breeding site for mosquitoes, including species that spread disease, so uncovered piles are a public-health nuisance.

Bottom Line: Because of these rules, tires must be routed to a permitted scrap tire hauler or recycler rather than mixed with general waste, junk removal loads, or construction debris.

Scrap tires are regulated under state scrap tire programs, most of which set rules for hauling, storage, and recordkeeping.

Hauler Permits: Most states require businesses that transport scrap tires above a small threshold (often 5-10 tires) to register or hold a scrap tire hauler permit and to use permitted destinations.

Manifests and Recordkeeping: Many programs require a trip ticket or manifest documenting the number of tires, the generator, the hauler, and the receiving facility, with records kept for a set number of years.

Storage Limits: Facilities and generators face limits on how many tires may be stored, along with fire-lane, pile-size, vector-control, and permitting requirements once thresholds are exceeded.

Landfill and Dumping Prohibitions: Whole-tire landfill bans are near-universal, and illegal dumping of tires carries fines and cleanup liability under state environmental law.

Use Licensed Partners: Generators reduce their liability by using registered haulers and permitted recyclers and by keeping their disposal receipts and manifests on file. Requirements vary by state, so confirm the rules with your state environmental agency.

Whether you keep tires for a day or await a scheduled pickup, a few practices keep you compliant and safe.

Keep Water Out: Store tires under cover or drill/drain them so they cannot hold standing water, which prevents mosquito breeding and reduces weight.

Control Pile Size: Keep piles small and organized with fire-lane access; know your state's storage threshold before you exceed it.

Separate by Type: Sorting passenger, truck, and OTR tires, and pulling rims, speeds processing and can lower recycling costs.

Document Everything: Keep manifests, trip tickets, and disposal receipts to prove legal handling and protect against dumping liability.

Do Not Burn: Never burn tires; open burning is illegal in most jurisdictions and produces hazardous smoke and oily residue.

Use the Right Partner: Route tires to registered haulers and permitted recyclers rather than mixing them into trash, junk, or dumpster loads where they will be rejected.