Tire Round-Up Program rolls into effect once more

A summer event sponsored by the Philadelphia Streets Department is expected to get about 11,000 illegally discarded tires off the streets this summer.Through the Tire Round-Up Program, the department and the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee will help organized neighborhood groups collect and deposit the tires in exchange for money.The program began in 1995 to address what the department calls the “serious problem of illegally discarded tires in the city of Philadelphia.”
Registration for this year’s six-week schedule has begun and runs through July 1. If your community group wants in, get a move on now. June Cantor, the department’s media relations spokesperson, broke down the registration for us. Allow time for snail mail.

Contact the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee at 215-685-3981, and you’ll be mailed the agreement form.
Sign and return the agreement form so the city can send you the six-week schedule and list of drop-off locations, as well as your ID letter (so folks at the collection site know you’ve registered).

Cantor tells NewsWorks the city expects to collect an estimated 11,000 tires this year based on numbers from years past. Participants will be reimbursed for the illegally discarded tires they collect. Tires found at auto repair shops, car dealers, mechanic shops and private storage lots — which pay private companies for collection — are off-limits.Registered groups will receive 50 cents for each tire returned for compensation of up to $500.00.The program is open to groups like the Organized Block Clubs registered with the PMBC, as well as Friends of the Park, community and civic groups, Neighborhood NACs, town watch groups, certified partnership recycling groups and other organizations.

Pick-ups begin July 16 and run on Saturdays for six weeks.