The Kentucky Division of Waste Management estimates that about 4 million scrap tires are generated annually in Kentucky. In July 1998, Kentucky established waste tire statutes to ensure responsible waste tire management. The law requires tire retailers, transporters and accumulators to register with the state and post a bond. The law also establishes management standards for scrap tires to reduce the risk of fire and prevent water entrapment and mosquito infestations.

Our Waste Tire Amnesty Program is an ongoing effort to rid Kentucky’s landscape of waste tires. Individuals can drop off their unwanted tires at a location within their county free of charge during the amnesty period. The tires are recycled through “beneficial end use” markets to become products such as tire-derived fuel or crumb rubber. 

The program is supported by the Waste Tire Trust Fund established by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1998. The General Assembly passed legislation requiring tire retailers to collect a $1 fee on all new replacement motor vehicle tires sold. Retailers may retain five cents to offset administrative costs, but the balance is required to go in the Waste Tire Trust Fund. This fund is dedicated to managing scrap tires and developing sustainable markets for recycled tire products.  Click here for tentative schedules and additional information on the Waste Tire Amnesty program.