Posted: | February 20, 2023 09:15 AM |
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From: | Representative Greg Scott |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Disposal of Waste Tires and Short Dumping |
Car tires that are illegally dumped in our neighborhoods are a nuisance, a local environmental hazard, and are bad for our landfills. Because tires have void space, their shape traps methane gas, which builds up overtime, breeds mosquitoes, and harbors other pests. I have witnessed this problem first-hand in my district. While the disposal of waste tires in landfills is illegal in Pennsylvania, they must be recycled and there is more we can do to enforce this to protect our environment. I am introducing legislation to expand the ability of boroughs and cities of the second and third classes to enforce penalties for the illegal short dumping and the dumping of waste tires. My bill will allow a municipality to impose a penalty of no more than $500 per tire for violators caught illegally dumping waste tires. The bill will also require waste tire disposal businesses to maintain records and receipt of proper disposal for a minimum of 5 years, which a municipality may request for review. The bill will also allow these municipalities to place a fine of up to $5,000 on people who are guilty of short dumping. The money received from these penalties must be utilized by the municipality to encourage recycling and enforce compliance. All Pennsylvanians – and our future generations – deserve a clean and sustainable environment. Please consider joining me in co-sponsoring this legislation so that we can hold polluters accountable for their actions. |
Introduced as HB1153