SENATE BILL REPORT

ESB 6720

BYSenators Metcalf and Madsen

Providing for the management of waste tires.

Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 5, 1988

Majority Report:     Do pass.

     Signed by Senators Metcalf, Chairman; Smith, Vice Chairman; Barr, Kreidler, Rinehart.

Senate Staff:Rick Anderson (786-7717)

                March 7, 1988

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

AS PASSED SENATE, FEBRUARY 9, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Ecology estimates that 4 million waste tires are generated each year.  Approximately 1.5 million tires are retreaded or reprocessed into a useable oil.  The other 2.5 million tires are disposed into landfills or onto privately owned tire piles.  Approximately two-thirds of the state's tires are in Thurston, Pierce, and Spokane Counties.

In 1985 the Legislature passed legislation to promote tire recycling.  The legislation assessed a twelve hundredths of one percent (0.12%) tax on the sale of new replacement tires to fund tire collection and recycling of waste tires and prohibited the unauthorized disposal of tires.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Ecology shall identify communities with the most severe waste tire problems and use the tire recycling account to provide priority funding for those communities.  A waste tire advisory committee is established to develop a report addressing the problem of waste tires within the state.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:   none

Fiscal Note:    none requested

Senate Committee - Testified:   Keith Rowbotham, NW Tire Dealers Association (for); Ronald Stansell, Tire's Away (for); Senator Madsen (for); Mark Hope, Waste Recovery, Inc. (for)

HOUSE AMENDMENTS:

A definition section is added for "waste tire," "transportation" and "storage."

Persons storing or transporting waste tires are required to be licensed; violations are a gross misdemeanor.

Businesses are prohibited from contracting with persons not having a valid license.