City officials gave some council members an update on how the city plans to boost recycling at the Environment and Sustainability Committee meeting Monday.
The aims 鈥渢o identify policies, programs and infrastructure that will be needed to manage solid waste and recyclable materials generated in the city over the next 50 years.鈥�
Dallas City Council Member Adam Bazaldua said more needs to be done about abandoned tires for the city to meet its recycling goal by 2040. He said tires are scattered all across South Dallas and residents don't know where to recycle them.
If the city did a better job of educating residents, 鈥渨e could probably see a lot less tires illegally dumped,鈥� Bazaldua said.
Tires left near roadways, riverbanks, open fields or residences can create safety, environmental, and health hazards,
On the state鈥檚 environmental agency鈥檚 website, it states tires can pose a fire hazard and can release chemicals into the air that impacts a 鈥渉abitat for disease causing vectors.鈥�
Dallas residents can drop off up to six tires at the Customer Convenience Recycling Center located at for recycling. But city officials worry that too many tires could overwhelm the system.
鈥淚f tomorrow every resident of Dallas brought six tires in McCommas landfill, this is a benefit we cannot sustain,鈥� Bazaldua said.
Bazaldua believes tire shops can be a solution and proposed that they become recycling locations for the city.
City officials said they would add more on tire disposal to their overall waste management plan.
Other council members, including Carolyn King Arnold and Paula Blackmon, said the City of Dallas needs more resources if they plan to enhance recycling.
鈥淭o clean up where we live education is going to be key,鈥� Arnold said.
Arnold and Blackmon pushed for more education on how to recycle to be distributed at schools and local businesses.
City officials will continue to work on improving recycling. In 2020, the city adopted a Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance to increase access to recycling in residential neighborhoods. And this year, they hope to implement recycling requirements for businesses that support their recycling goals.
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