ANNA — A scrap tire recycling drive organized by the Shelby Soil & Water Conservation District brought in more than 800 tires on Oct. 9, 2026, the district reported.
The effort involved the Sidney-Shelby County Health Department, the North Central Ohio Solid Waste District, the county engineer's office and county commissioners, with assistance from Anna FFA chapter members.
Tires from passenger vehicles, semi-trucks and farms were taken, limited to personal or farm use within Shelby County. The haul filled two semi-truck trailers, and the total exceeded 800 tires, according to a press release cited by the Sidney Daily News.
Organizers described illegally dumped or poorly stored tires as both a nuisance and a public health problem. Water gathering inside discarded tires, they said, can serve as breeding habitat for mosquitoes that carry diseases affecting people and animals. Burning scrap tires in the open, the district added, poses immediate danger to residents with breathing conditions and damages the environment.
Residents were urged to let tire dealers handle disposal of old tires at the time new ones are purchased, which the district said costs a minimal fee. A directory of Shelby County businesses that accept used tires is available at ncowaste.org.
A photograph accompanying the report was credited to Amanda Hurley.