ST. PETERSBURG — Pinellas County is waiving residential tire disposal fees through Oct. 30 so residents can get scrap tires out of yards and sheds before rain turns them into dengue mosquito nurseries.
“Waste tires left in the environment collect standing water, so when it rains, they fill up with water and can breed thousands of mosquitoes,” Ashley Wyland, environmental outreach specialist with Pinellas County Solid Waste, told WUSF. “We want to provide an opportunity for folks living at their homes that might have some tires in their backyards or stored outside somewhere to be able to bring them in and dispose of them for free.”
The fee waiver follows the county’s dengue state of emergency after seven locally acquired cases. A recent Florida Department of Health report cited by WUSF puts statewide locally acquired dengue at 190 cases, including 170 in Hillsborough and two in Pasco.
How to drop off free tires
Through Oct. 30, Pinellas residents can bring up to four tires, each no more than 36 inches in diameter, to the Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex at 3095 114th Ave. N in St. Petersburg. Hours are Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The waiver is residential only. Tire shops, mechanics and other businesses cannot use it. If someone hires a hauler to bring tires from a home, the normal tire fee still applies, Wyland said. Drivers need a valid license proving Pinellas residency, and the site requires closed-toe shoes — no flip-flops, sandals or other open-toe footwear.
Prior tire amnesties worked
Wyland said Solid Waste held tire amnesty days the last two Aprils and collected nearly 1,000 tires this year and a little over 1,000 last year before summer rains filled backyard stockpiles. Officials hope the October waiver draws a similar haul and cuts breeding sites while the county fights local dengue transmission.
Beyond tires, health officials still urge residents to dump standing water weekly, use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants outdoors — day or night — while mosquito season and the outbreak continue.