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Old tyres can be seen everywhere.  They are thrown at the roadside, used to ignite fires at road protests or just left lying around.  But do we know the dangers of these modern wheels?

After all, they are kept in yards and at tyre repair shops for ages thus giving the Dengue mosquito countless opportunities to lay their eggs and thus breed and breed again.  Albon Scott, Executive Manager, Environmental Projects at the Solid Waste Management Company Limited (Swmcol) of Trinidad explains in the following article pulled and adapted from the Trinidad and Tobago Express with original reporting by Kristy Ramnarine.

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“Burning tyres are very bad for health because the rubber is highly toxic,” he said.

“Tyres left lying around have the potential for harbouring mosquitoes, which carry Dengue Fever and also other vermin like rats.”

(Referring to Trinidad and Tobago) Scott explained that dumping tyres was illegal under the Litter Act.

“But there is a very small penalty which is not a deterrent,” he said.

For those choosing the legal path – like some tyre dealers with truck loads of old tyres – they pay SWMCOL to bury them at the Beetham Landfill.

“Our temporary measure is to put them in the landfill; at least we know where they are.  However, that poses a problem especially if there is a fire at the landfill site.”

The Environmental Project manager said Government needs to invest in a tyre shredder.

“There (have) been attempts to get that type of equipment but we have not gotten it as yet,” he explained.

“The wire could be taken out and sold through a steel factory and the rubber crumb of the tyre can be used in road material as part of aggregate, or it can be made into new tyres as well.”

Scott said Government could also work out an agreement with the rest of the Caribbean to shred their tyres.

“One of the biggest problems is that we bring in used tyres to be sold,” he said.

“That should be stopped; it is not good.  In Barbados and Jamaica they don’t allow them in the country but we still allow them in and they each end up as waste.”

 

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Editor’s Note: Used tyres have been major foci of mosquito breeding in the Caribbean.  They could not be more efficient in this regard.  There are good reasons for that:
  • They are black in colour, which is attractive to mosquitoes.  Ever wondered why we are asked to avoid dark clothing in mosquito infested places?  
  • The wells of the tyres are dark and cool.  The Dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti, shies away from light sources with a passion.  Thus, they will not be seen in open sunlight.  Ever wondered why aegypti chooses the dark side of our legs, under the table and low to the ground when searching for a blood meal? 
  • Aedes aegypti will not be disturbed during the aquatic stages of their development.  Tyres being useless, they are not likely to be moved around during the seven-day life cycle before the adult mosquito can fly off into our homes.
  • Tyres tend to be discarded close to or around where we live and work.  The Dengue mosquito does not want to fly too far for a blood meal.  So what better place to breed than right there in our backyard?

Let us familiarise ourselves with our country’s regulations and get rid of tyres properly.