Since the Saskatchewan Environment Ministry intervened in Tyre Stewardship operations in the Canadian province, rural residents in the sparsely populated state have begun to see tyre dumps growing.
Situation in Saskatchewan Worsens Once Again
“Honestly, it is an eyesore,” said Leslie Clark, a councillor for the municipality of Parkdale, surrounding the hamlet of Glaslyn in northwest Saskatchewan.
The Black Gold Rush program offered by the Saskatchewan Scrap Tire Corporation gave landowners the opportunity to recycle tyres for free.
When the program came to a halt in June, 227 municipalities in Saskatchewan had benefited from it. The remaining 69, near Regina and in the northwest, are still waiting.
“This isn’t just happening in our RM. This is happening across the province,” Clark said.
Although most tyre retailers offer recycling for a small fee, Clark said it’s not easy for everyone to haul several dozen tyres.
She estimates that in the RM of Parkdale alone, more than 250 farmers are stuck with up to 50 tyres each on their property.
The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities addressed the issue during its mid-term convention in November.
The organisation agreed to press the government to reinstate the program with the Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan — a not-for-profit organization established after the Black Gold Rush program was put on hold.
The government said there are still options for people with scrap tyres. The Tire Stewardship offers the Return to Retailer Program. Saskatchewan residents can return up to 10 tyres daily to certain tyre retailers across the province.
Additionally, the Tire Stewardship is developing a program to manage legacy stockpiles of tyres.
