Got junk tires? Now’s your chance to get rid of them – responsibly and free of charge.

Keep Newnan Beautiful and Coweta County are teaming up to host a Tire Amnesty Day.

The free tire recycling event for all residents of Coweta County will be held Saturday, February 25 from 8 a.m. until 12 noon at the Hunter Recreation Complex located at 2970 GA-16 in Sharpsburg.

This year, a limit has been set for tires based on size, which will allow more Coweta County residents to participate, according to Tim Shelnutt, Coweta County Code Enforcement.

“Last year there was a large increase in the tractor-trailer tires that were dropped off,” Shelnutt said “Because of their size, it limits the number of tires we can take overall. This year we are limiting tractor-trailer tires to 10 per residential address. We are also limiting the amount of passenger car and truck tires to 50 per address.”

Last year, Keep Newnan Beautiful and Coweta County were able to remove 54 tons of junk tires from the environment, according to Page Beckwith with Keep Newnan Beautiful.

“With the vast amount of land here in Coweta County, many residents have been plagued with the issue of old tiresm” Beckwith said. “Old tires are a hazard to the environment.”

Beckwith said the biggest issue with discarding old tires is that they contain chemicals and heavy metals that leach into the environment as the tires break down.

Leaching affects the soil around the old tire. As tires sit on the ground, the toxins from the tires can seep down into the groundwater.

Old tires are hosts to all different types of pests, especially mosquitos. Mosquitos pose the biggest risk since they transmit blood-borne diseases to animals and humans.

“A Tire Amnesty Day is a fabulous opportunity for residents to remove this hazard from their property,” Beckwith said “Typically, disposing of old tires can be costly. It costs between $6 and $10 per tire to take them to the dump. Having the opportunity to dispose of those same tires for little to no money is a big deal.”

This year the program will be able to take car and truck tires without rims for free. Large equipment tires will be $25 each. Passenger tires with rims will cost $5 apiece. Tractor Trailer tires with rims will be $15.

The rim fees are not covered by the grant and are passed down by the processor. Residents can avoid the fees if they bring their tires without the rims.

The tire recycling event is being funded with a grant from the GA EPD Land Protection division.

For more information or questions about the upcoming Tire Amnesty day, contact the Keep Newnan Beautiful office at 678-673-5505 or email pbeckwith@newnanga.gov

Follow @keepnewnanbeautiful on Facebook or visit their website www.keepnewnanbeautiful.org for the most current program information.