Fugitive Tire Roundup
The Fugitive Tire Roundup is popular with organized youth groups who want to help the environment and earn some "reward" money for their organization. This annual program, sponsored by area tire dealers, recruits youth groups (posses) from Westmoreland County to capture tires that have escaped into the wild (fields, streams, roadsides) and turn them in to participating tire dealers for proper disposal. By corralling the illegally dumped tires, each posse earns a bounty that can be used to further its own community projects.
Since 1995, over 53,000 fugitive tires that blighted our Westmoreland County landscape have been captured. Scout groups, school groups, 4-H and church groups earned over $39,000 in bounty payments that flowed back into our community through other service projects. The Roundup is a valuable tool to help rid our landscape of illegally disposed tires, to educate participants on the environmental damage caused by the dumping, and to foster community pride.
The Rules
1. All tires must be collected from the wild, not from individuals or businesses.
2. Tires cannot be stockpiled ahead of time. Tires must be collected and turned in by Noon of the same day.
3. Tires must be taken to a participating tire dealer assigned by Westmoreland Cleanways.
4. Only off-rim passenger and light truck tires can be accepted (unless special arrangements are made ahead of time).
5. A bounty is paid for the first 200 tires collected (although many groups collect many more); $.75 per tire/maximum $150.00.
6. Report your results to Westmoreland Cleanways
7. The bounty is paid once the questionnaire and photos are submitted.
Sign Up
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1. Choose one Saturday in April on which to conduct the roundup.
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2. Register your posse by mid-March.
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3. Identify sites prior to the collection date to save time and plan your cleanup strategy.
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Consult the 2009 Illegal Dump Survey (below) or local municipal officials for ideas.
Roundup Day
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1. Prepare for a safe cleanup: Long pants, heavy duty shoes, gloves, safety vests (if near a roadway), trucks to transport tires.
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2. Take lots of photos – before, during and after the roundup.
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3. Discuss the reason for the cleanup with posse members: Why did tires get dumped in the first place? How are they damaging the environment? Are they near water? What can be done to stop the illegal dumping of tires? What are you learning from your experience? Complete the questionnaire based on these discussions.
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4. Deliver tires to your assigned tire dealer by Noon.
Post-Roundup
1. Report results to Westmoreland Cleanways immediately after cleanup.
2. Submit photos and complete questionnaire in a timely fashion.
The Bounty
1. Bounty checks are mailed once the questionnaire is received, usually by the end of May.
2. Bounties can be used at the discretion of the posse, to fund other community activities, purchase supplies, etc.
Fugitive Tire Roundup 2012
Available Saturdays: April 7, 14, 21, 28
Site Selection: Priority should be given to the tire piles identified in the 2009 Westmoreland County Illegal Dump Survey. Thousands of tires were found in most of the reported dumpsites. Sites are listed beginning on P. 29 of the report; they are listed by municipality, with an approximate number of illegally dumped tires at each site.
Recruit your posse, pick a date, and register for the 2012 Fugitive Tire Roundup by calling 724-836-4129, or emailing Natalie.
