Tires are handy when they are attached to your vehicle, and help you get around every day. But, what happens when good tires go bad?

Tires are kind of like humans. They eventually wear out or are damaged and have to be replaced. Ideally, all tires should be turned in for recycling or reconditioning for continued use. Actually, about 83 percent of tires are now recycled each year.

Unfortunately, there are still thousands that end up in landfills, as charming decorations in people’s yards or, sadly, dumped illegally into creeks, wooded areas or fields by short-sighted individuals. The individuals who dump tires are breaking the law and creating an environmental and health hazard.

Next Saturday, the Liberty County Solid Waste Department and Keep Liberty Beautiful will have a Tire Amnesty Day for Liberty County residents. The event will be in Hinesville at the corner of Oglethorpe Highway (Hwy. 84) and Fraser Drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• This event is for Liberty Residents only. We will ask for proof of residency.

• Tires generated from commercial ventures will not be accepted.

• We will only accept tires for cars, SUVs and light trucks. Semi tires or larger and racing slicks will not be accepted.

• There will no fee for the tires turned in.

We do not do these events very often, but periodically it is helpful to have them to encourage residents to turn in tires they may have lying around.

Tires are breeding grounds for mosquitoes and, for heaven’s sake, we do not need to have these incubators lying around to increase the mosquito population around here. Tires are also attractive living areas for a number of critters, like snakes.

I do not like snakes or mosquitoes, so please turn in any tires appropriately.

Tires that are collected but cannot be re-conditioned with new tread can be recycled and sent to companies that reprocess them. Old tires can be shredded or melted down and used to make other materials such as asphalt to pave roads or mulch to create playground surfaces. Isn’t that a better option for tires than spending an eternity in a landfill? So, I encourage you to bring in any tires around your home.

Once again, this is not an option for tires generated from commercial ventures. We will accept tires only from 9 to 3 on Saturday. Any tires left in the vicinity prior to the event or after the event will be treated as an illegal dumping violation. The collection location will be under camera surveillance, so I encourage people to abide by the rules.

Illegal dumping penalties are pretty severe. According to the Georgia Comprehensive Litter Prevention and Abatement Act of 2006 Code Section is a felony punishable with a fine of up to $25,000 and a five year prison term. So, if you are thinking about dumping tires, think twice.

So, if you round up your tires and encourage your neighbors to do so as well, you might help reduce the mosquito population. That is something we can all enjoy around here.

For more information about the Tire Amnesty Day, contact Keep Liberty Beautiful at 912-880-4888 or klcb@coastalnow.net or contact the Liberty County Solid Waste Department at 912-884-5034.