Waste Tire Management

Waste tires in Oregon can present environmental, health and safety hazards if not managed properly. Oregonians generate about four million waste tires per year and only about one third of them are recovered. The rest are shredded and disposed of in Oregon or out-of-state, or dumped illegally.

Illegal waste tire piles can accumulate rainwater which can become a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes. Large piles can catch fire, causing air and water pollution. And tire piles are just plain unsightly. 

Oregon's waste tire program is designed to prevent problematic storage and disposal of tires by regulating how they are collected and stored. It is also designed to encourage alternatives to disposal. Oregon law establishes a permitting system for waste tire carriers and storage sites, and also imposes a landfill ban on disposal of whole tires. Oregon Revised Statute 459.247 describes landfill bans. Statutes and Rules describing Oregon's waste tire program include: ORS 459.705 (Waste Tire Storage and Disposal); Oregon Administrative Rules 340 Chapters 93, 96 and 97 include waste tire carrier and waste tire storage requirements.

Recent passage of Senate Bill 792 impacts DMV Auto-Dismantler license holders in waste tire management. Effective Jan. 1, 2020, a DEQ waste tire storage permit is required if a facility holds more than 100 waste tires (Oregon Revised Statute 459.715). 

To apply for a Waste Tire Carrier or Waste Tire Storage Site permit, see detailed instructions in the User Guide provided on Solid Waste Program in Your DEQ Online web page.

Frequently asked questions