By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Ellis County residents will get a break on the price of disposing of tires at the landfill for two weeks in the fall in an effort to help clean up the county.

On Monday, the Ellis County Commission approved a rate reduction on the disposal of tires at the landfill from 10 cents to 5 cents per pound for a two-week period once a year.

Public Works Director Bill Ring the county used to receive grants to help with the cost of disposing of old tires, but those are no longer available. The measure will allow the landfill foreman to conduct the tire sale annually.

“We’re looking at doing it a 50 percent off of what we normally charge to let homeowners, not commercial businesses, bring tires in,” Ring said. “It will cost them something, but it will be half of what it normally would.”

Ring said the discount will be offered two weeks before the Hays city cleanup, which is typically held in late October.

“They also do not take tires, because of the cost involved,” Ring said. “If a Hays resident did have a tire, they would still have to bring it to us (at the landfill), but they could do it for the half price.”

There is a form that anyone bringing tires to the landfill would have to sign affirming that the tires are from Ellis County, that they are not from a commercial business and they are not being paid to bring the tires to the landfill.

Ring also said this is an effort to help clean up the county.

“We’re just asking our residents to be good stewards of the county and the environment and maybe offering somewhat of an incentive in doing it this way,” said Ring.

There will not be a limit on the number of tires a person brings to the landfill.

Ring said currently it costs $6 to dispose of two passenger car tires at the landfill so during the two-week tire sale if would cost $3.

The tires brought to the landfill will be recycled.