Dumped tires causing problems for Chilton County family
Published 4:40 pm Wednesday, April 8, 2015
A Chilton County family is seeking answers for how to deal with a problem of dumped tires on private property in the county.
Madonna Headley, who lives off County Road 365 in Clanton, said an incident in March where roughly 50 tires were dumped on family property is causing concern for her and her family.
“We don’t know what to do about the problem,” Headley said.
Headley said the area where the tires were dumped is a remote part of the county, which leads to hunting property her family owns.
“Whoever did this might have thought no one would notice the tires, but this is someone’s property,” Headley said.
Headley contacted the Chilton County Sheriff’s Department, but found out there was little they could do unless deputies witnessed the individuals dumping the tires.
She also contacted the Chilton County litter agent, who recommended she reach out to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management due to the tires being dumped on private property.
Headley said she is waiting to hear back about the issue, but in the meantime her family is frustrated about the situation.
“It is just frustrating because whoever did this thought they could get away with it, and it has created a big problem for us,” Headley said. “The tires pose a health risk because they collect water which leads to mosquitoes and snakes, and not to mention the fact that we will have to find a way to get rid of them.”
Headley said the general area of where the tires were dumped includes County Roads 37, 16, and 365 in Clanton.
“We believe that whoever is doing this is going to parts of the county where they think no one will notice or no one lives, and they are dumping tires and then just driving off,” Headley said. “People can go pick up scrap tires from tire stores in the area and be paid about $2 a tire to haul them away. The people who are picking these tires up don’t care about where they are dumped just as long as they get their money.”
Headley said she hopes to find an answer to the situation and hopefully help others who might have been affected by dumped tires figure out a way to solve the problem.
“The people who are doing this need to be stopped,” Headley said. “It is frustrating for everyone involved.”
There are multiple complaints listed on ADEM’s website regarding tires dumped in Chilton County.
One incident happened in February near Verbena where a family on County Road 24 complained that tires were being dumped on their property.
A Billingsley man also reported in March discovering approximately 50 scrap tires dumped on property he owns, according to the website.
For an additional list of complaints, visit www.adem.alabama.gov/complaints.