Starting next year, New Orleans residents will be able to earn money by recycling tires as part of a new pilot program aimed at curbing illegal tire dumping across the city. Supported by $250,000 in funding from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the New Orleans Sanitation Department, the initiative seeks to reduce the thousands of tires illegally discarded each year.

City sanitation staff currently collect between 30,000 and 50,000 dumped tires annually, often found in neighborhoods and under highways, creating persistent eyesores and environmental hazards. "Illegal dumping has plagued our city for years," said New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno. “This program won’t solve the entire problem, but even making a dent is worth it.”

The pilot program will offer monetary incentives to individuals who bring discarded tires to designated city collection sites. City leaders, including Joe Threat, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Infrastructure, believe this "bounty" approach could significantly discourage illegal dumping while creating a structured pathway for recycling.

While community leaders like Gregory Swafford of Culture of Cleanliness welcome the effort, they emphasize the importance of sustained engagement and strategic planning. "We need to identify dumping hotspots and develop revitalization or reuse plans for these areas," Swafford said.

Moreno added that ongoing conversations with state DEQ officials aim to enhance enforcement and cleanup efforts, pushing for innovative solutions to address this long-standing issue.

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