HB2860, a solid waste bill requested by the Department
of Health and Environment (KDHE) calls for removal of the exemption
of waste tires from a $1 per ton general solid waste tipping
fee. The KDHE opined that by removing the exemption, waste tire
generators would be contributing to the recycling and waste
reduction grant fund. This would allow those who applied for
grants for scrap tire related recycling a chance to receive
aid. Currently scrap tire applicants are automatically declined.
As reported in Treadmarks, a
newsletter published by the Mid-America Tire Dealers Association
(MATDA), the association testified to retain the exemption for
waste tires. In testimony to the House Environment Committee,
MATDA said that... "Dealers and consumers in Kansas contribute
an average of $50 per ton of waste tires through the $.50 excise
tax on the sale of new tires for the purpose of dealing with
waste issues. The dollars generated by the $.50 excise tax have
provided the funding for cleaning up stockpiled scrap tires,
as well as providing funding for other grant programs."
MATDA's statement pointed to
its' members involvement in contributing to solutions for managing
scrap tires in the state, saying "Our members feel they
are already providing the means for $50 per ton for managing
waste tires, the mechanism is in place for managing their waste
stream, and innovative waste processing should be viable on
its own merits and not supported by tax dollars." The House
Environment Committee left the current exemption intact. HB2860
was approved by the House and sent to the Senate for consideration.
HB2861, also working its
way through the Kansas legislature this year, contains provisions
which would eliminate obsolete language from the law. It also
allows each city or county one more amnesty collection program
to allow residents free disposal of waste tires that are not
generated by business. Finally, the law clarifies the definition
of waste tires and used tires to include those tires that are
still on the wheel.
Planning for the Future
On July 1, 2001 the current $.50 per tire excise tax on new
tire sales in the state will be reduced to $.25 per tire. In
addition, state authority to clean up waste tires will end on
July 1, 2001 and responsibility for scrap tire accumulations
will revert to the counties. To help facilitate a shift from
several years of state waste tire cleanup efforts to county
control, the KDHE is planning a second Waste Tire Summit in
mid-May 2000 in Salina, KS.
While the first Summit, held
in 1995, was dominated by issues affecting tire retailers and
waste tire disposal businesses, the upcoming Summit will emphasize
resources and strategies available to local governments to manage
waste tires, according to Martin Burke, Environmental Scientist
with KDHE's Bureau of Waste Management. A draft enforcement
grant program will also be introduced during the Summit, Burke
said.
