MOUNDS OF TIRES PILED AT MOUNDS

MOUNDS, Ill. -- The city of Mounds has a heavy problem how to dispose of seven million pounds of tires.

"Tires are stored everywhere on the ADM-GrowMark property here," says Mayor Marguerite B. Ward. "All of the tin sheds on the property are filled with tires, and you can see tires stacked for a half mile outside the sheds."

Ward, like other members of the Mounds City Council, would like to see the tires gone.

The tires began accumulating on the property about two years ago when the property was being leased as a possible tire recycling facility.

"We had high hopes of obtaining a tire recycling center here," said Ward. "A local man was talking with companies from Chicago and Texas about obtaining a tire shredder."

Ward said the operation would have created up to 100 jobs and would have had the capacity to produce several tons of crumb rubber a day.

"This crumb rubber can be used in a process to produce a product that can be used in roofing, rubber mats, and even the production of oil," said Ward.

The tires continued to accumulate at the site, but the recycling company never materialized, said Ward.

"The people involved never got the business off the ground," said Ward. "Now, we're receiving calls about the tires, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stepped into the picture."

Ward said the EPA requires spraying of the tires and the area every two weeks, as a protection against mosquitoes.

"We haven't had any official written complaints filed," said Ward. "But we have received a lot of telephone calls."

She said the city would welcome any suggestions for creatively and effectively ridding the city of the tires. She added that city officials had talked with other entities interested in establishing a shredder operation.

"We'd still like to see someone come in and start up a tire-shredding operation," said Ward. "This would give the city another business, and provide employment."

Meanwhile, the Pulaski-Alexander Farm Bureau has offered its assistance in helping solve the problem.

"A Farm Bureau spokesman David Patton attended our last city council meeting," said Ward. "He told the group that his organization was concerned about two things with the tires.

"The tires can provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and they could pose a fire hazard," she said.

The council agreed to work with Farm Bureau.

The tire problem will be discussed at the next Mounds City Council meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. July 15.