THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, YOUNGBLOOD, McGEEHAN, K. BOYLE, MILLARD, BISHOP, V. BROWN, BROWNLEE, P. COSTA, DONATUCCI, HENNESSEY, JOHNSON, W. KELLER, MYERS, M. O'BRIEN, PAYTON, SABATINA, VEREB, WATERS, CALTAGIRONE AND VULAKOVICH, OCTOBER 5, 2011

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, OCTOBER 5, 2011  

A RESOLUTION

Urging the City of Philadelphia to establish a year-round

program providing for the safe removal and adequate disposal

of illegally discarded waste tires.

WHEREAS, The House of Representatives notes the various

issues associated with the improper disposal of waste tires,

including the economic, environmental and health impact that it

poses to the landscape, property values and citizens of

Philadelphia; and

WHEREAS, The House of Representatives acknowledges that there

exists a critical need for the City of Philadelphia to implement

a year-round tire cleanup program and to invest or participate

in environmentally safe tire recycling programs established

within this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Waste tires pose an even greater threat to the

health and welfare of the citizens of Philadelphia as they

collect rain water and serve as an optimal habitat for breeding

mosquitoes, which may be the carriers of the potentially fatal

West Nile virus; and

WHEREAS, Additional dangers such as waste tire pile fires are

equally hazardous and often release toxic gases into the

atmosphere which adversely affect the lives of human beings and

the surrounding ecosystem; and

WHEREAS, On March 14, 1996, the smoldering waste tire pile

fire that occurred near an I-95 overpass in Philadelphia is

proof of the impact of waste tire pollution; and

WHEREAS, According to the Pennsylvania Department of

Environmental Protection, in 1996 it was estimated that 36

million waste tires were discarded in piles throughout

Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, Notwithstanding the successful collaboration between

the General Assembly, the Pennsylvania Department of

Environmental Protection and local governments in past years, it

is estimated that there are approximately 2.43 million waste

tires that remain to be cleaned up in this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, The establishment of a year-round waste tire removal

program would effectively address the public health issues and

have a positive impact upon our environment as a result of safe

and proper waste tire disposal through the use of tire

remediation facilities; and

WHEREAS, The House of Representatives encourages the City of

Philadelphia to increase the scope of its current "Tire Round

Up" program by evolving it into a year-round program; and

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia is further encouraged to

work closely with its city officials and to seek grants

allocated for the purpose of funding beautification projects and

other environmentally oriented programs; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the City of

Philadelphia to establish a year-round waste tire removal

program for the purpose of safely and adequately disposing of

illegally discarded waste tires.