Walker County residents will have a chance to participate in a community clean-up effort next month, as the county’s popular Retire Your Tires Amnesty Day returns after a multi-year hiatus. On Saturday, April 22, the county will accept tires free of charge from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Walker County Landfill, 5120 N Marble Top Road, Chickamauga.
Since 2017, Walker County residents have disposed of 22,681 old car and light truck tires during amnesty events. Those rubbery remains are sent to an approved recycling center and turned into things like industrial fuel or rubber mulch for landscaping and playground applications.
Car and light truck tires with wheel sizes 20 inches or smaller will be accepted during Retire Your Tires Amnesty Day, as well as ATV (all-terrain vehicle) tires. Tires must be dismounted from wheels. In addition, they must be dry and free of mud and debris. Tires with rims and large truck, tractor or heavy equipment tires are not eligible for amnesty. Landfill staff reserve the right to refuse any tires.
Retire Your Tires Amnesty Day is only for residents, not for commercial businesses. Proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or current utility bill, will be required to dispose of tires free of charge during the amnesty event. Those participating will also be required to unload their own tires and adhere to a limit of 12 tires per vehicle.
Residents unable to transport tires to the landfill should contact one of Walker County’s approved amnesty partners. The Chattanooga Valley Lions Club will be helping disabled, elderly and out of town service members who live in the north end of the county. Specific contact information can be found at walkercountyga.gov/tires.
The Retire Your Tires Amnesty Day event is made possible thanks to a $25,055 grant from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s Local Government Scrap Tire Abatement Reimbursement (STAR) Program. This grant will reimburse Walker County for the cost of transporting and processing scrap tires. The grant is funded from Georgia’s Solid Waste Trust Fund, which consumers pay into when purchasing new tires in Georgia.