You could be part of a cleanup project today in central Iowa. Mel Pins handles the cleanup of old tires for Iowa’s Department of Natural Resources.Spokesman Mel Pins says they’ve found an old dump with ten thousand tires in southern Story County. Some of the tires washed into a creek a mile away. Pins says while the tires can cause problems, they may not have been dumped illegally.Dealers around Ames dumped them when it was legal, but for about ten years it’s been banned. Pins says in addition to being an eyesore, old tires pose several environmental and health hazards.They hold water that breeds mosquitoes, they catch fire and smoke, and they leak oily residue into the water. Bulldozers will scoop up some of the ten thousand tires, but for the many that have washed downstream, volunteer labor will be needed. To join the volunteer cleanup, contact the Story County Conservation Board at 515-232-2516. The cleanup site’s three miles north of Huxley.
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