CHEVERLY, Md. — Maryland's State Highway Administration removed another pile of illegally dumped tires from the shoulder of westbound U.S. Route 50 in Cheverly on Wednesday after being alerted to the recurring issue by WUSA9.
"What you are seeing is illegal dumping. Our shop has been routinely removing it, but people continue to dump items, including tires and other large items, at that location," said SHA spokesperson Shantee Felix.
Felix said the SHA has been focused on roadside debris as part of the state's annual Operation Clean Sweep Maryland, noting that the effort is done to prepare for seasonal mowing and high-travel holidays.
The SHA is asking drivers who see roadside debris or dumping to notify the agency online by clicking here.
According to a 2023 collaborative report from the Anacostia Riverkeeper and George Washington University, illegal tire dumping is a particular problem in and near the District of Columbia because legal disposal of tires is costly and time consuming. Current disposal fees for commercial haulers with loads of tires is over $60 per ton, according to the report.
Anacostia Riverkeeper Trey Sherard says it is a frustrating issue.
"When you see tires in the water or you see tires on land before they get pushed into a creek, someone's making money on that and it is way beyond just annoying," Sherard said. "They are profiting by not taking tires to the dump where they would be properly disposed of."
"Access to proper recycling facilities is a big part of why we see the problem, and why the problem has been getting worse," Sherard explained. "For you to properly recycle tires in D.C., you've pretty much got to take those almost all the way to Baltimore."
The Riverkeeper's report from George Washington University recommends that D.C. adopt policies that mirror a Maryland law charging a fee for new tires. The revenue is used to fund affordable recycling, strict licensing of haulers, clean ups, and more enforcement.
D.C. has a used tire regulations that include stiff fines up to $40,000 for illegal dumping. Regulations also requires haulers to be licensed. But the report criticizes the D.C. policy for loopholes that let fly-by-night waste tire haulers do their dirty work with little accountability.
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