Report Waste Tire Dumping in Northampton County

Last winter, The Nature Conservancy found that several piles of tires had been dumped on their properties. While the sheriff’s department was notified, in the end, it is the property owner’s resposnibilty to dispose of the tires, usually at the landfill. Of, course, there is a cost involved (in this case, it was in excess of $250.00). The proper management of waste tires has been a major environmental concern in Virginia for decades. With recycling opportunities limited, dumping has become an alternative for some, given the expense involved in using the landfill. The expense has to do with tires having to be cut apart before disposal.

Dumping of tires is illegal in Virginia. State law (§10.1-1418.2.B & 2.C. of the Code of Virginia) states:
?B. It shall be unlawful for any person to store, dispose of, speculatively accumulate or otherwise place more than 100 waste tires on public or private property, without first having obtained a permit as required by § 10.1-1408.1 or in a manner consistent with any local ordinance. No person shall allow others to store, dispose of, speculatively accumulate or otherwise place on his property more than 100 waste tires, without first having obtained a permit as required by § 10.1-1408.1.
?C. Any person who knowingly violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. However, any person who knowingly violates any provision of this section and such violation involves 500 or more waste tires shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.
These are criminal statutes enforced by local law enforcement officials and courts. If your property is the subject of illegal dumping, take these steps: 1.Call your local police or sheriff. Request that an officer inspect the site, give them the information you know about the dumping (likely time, any evidence, etc.), and ask for a written report. Once the report is in hand, contact your locality’s solid waste department to inquire about options on the removal and proper disposal of the waste tires.
2.If there are more than 500 waste tires in the tire pile, you may contact your local DEQ Regional Office and ask to speak with a member of the Land Protection and Revitalization Staff. DEQ is interested in stopping illegal dumping of waste tires and tracking such activity in the Commonwealth.

Old Tire Piles

Occasionally, people find old tire dumps on their property, especially in remote areas or when they purchase rural property. If you find such a pile, contact the local DEQ Regional Office and ask to speak with a member of the Land Protection and Revitalization staff. They will explain the criteria for tire pile certification and may come to your property to conduct a site survey. If the tire pile is certified, the property owner will be asked to sign the tire pile certification form in order to add the tire pile to the state’s tire pile identification database.

These programs (see Current Flow Management) involved two cleanup efforts:
?the cleanup of tires at each participating landfill
?a clean up of all piles on the Eastern Shore via the SPSA Regional Program ( DEQ’s first “Clean Sweep”)

DEQ Tidewater Regional Office

The Tidewater Regional Office serves the counties of Accomack, Isle of Wight, James City, Northampton, Southampton and York; and the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg

Office Hours:
8:30am – 4:30pm Monday-Friday

Address:
5636 Southern Blvd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Contact:
(757) 518-2000
(757) 518-2009 (fax)