For Immediate Release
6/18/08

- Sen. Baker
- Sen. Mary Jo White

Senate Passes Baker Bill to Aid In Clean-up of Waste Tire Piles

The state Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Senator Lisa Baker (R-20) to aid municipalities in cleaning up waste tire piles that are a danger to the environment and public safety.  The measure would reauthorize an annual transfer of $3 million from the state's Recycling Fund to the Used Tire Pile Remediation Restricted Account.

"We need to fund the clean-up of large scrap tire piles, which pose a threat to our health, safety and environment," Baker said. "These piles are mosquito breeding grounds that could lead to the spread of West Nile Virus.  They are also prone to fires that are very difficult to extinguish and produce toxic air emissions and harmful groundwater runoff."

Baker said the legislation is needed because Pennsylvania hasn't finished the job that it began over a decade ago. Funding for tire cleanups expired in 2001 despite there being at least 39 piles throughout the Commonwealth with at least 10,000 tires each, some with hundreds of thousands.

"This bill is about priorities, and we have to finish what we started," Baker added.  Additionally, the bill does not divert funds from county recycling programs.

More than 85 percent of the stockpiled scrap tires in the United States are located in just seven states, including Pennsylvania.  The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.
               

Contact:

Brian Grove
(570) 675-3931
 

Additional Information:
Environment and Energy

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