Walker County residents will have a chance to participate in a community clean-up effort near Earth Day, as the county’s popular Retire Your Tires Amnesty Day returns. On Saturday, April 20th, the county will accept tires free of charge from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Walker County Landfill, 5120 N Marble Top Road, Chickamauga.
Since 2017, Walker County residents have disposed of 26,324 old car and light truck tires during amnesty events, including 3,643 last year. 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 16 tires per vehicle.
The entrance to the event will be at the transfer station, not the scale house, and there will be two lines. Cars and trucks with a small number of tires to recycle should follow the path marked by green arrows, while vehicles with utility trailers should follow the orange arrows to an offloading site below the transfer station. An exit will be established about halfway between the transfer station and the scale house.
