Scrap Tire Disposal Compliance by State

Why this matters

Scrap tires are regulated separately from municipal solid waste in 48 of 50 states. Dumping tires at a transfer station that does not accept them, or hauling more than the per-state threshold without a registered tire-hauler permit, is a citable offense in every state with a tire program. The fines are not theoretical: under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle D framework adopted by most state EPAs, illegal tire dumping carries civil penalties that scale per tire and per day. A pickup truck of loose tires hauled to a regular landfill without a manifest is enough to put a junk-removal operator out of business.

This SOP gives crews a pre-load checklist, the federal baseline, and a workflow for confirming state-specific rules before quoting tire jobs.

Federal baseline

There is no federal RCRA Subtitle C listing for whole scrap tires; they are not hazardous waste at the federal level. However, RCRA Subtitle D delegates solid-waste authority to states, and every state with a tire program has built rules on top of that authority. The federal touchpoints to know:

• 40 CFR 257 / 258 govern non-hazardous solid waste landfills. Most state programs prohibit whole tires in Subtitle D landfills because they float up through the cap. Shredded or quartered tires are accepted at some landfills.
• DOT 49 CFR Subchapter C applies if you cross state lines with a load that triggers hazardous-materials placarding. Whole tires alone do not, but a mixed load with batteries or fuel-bearing equipment may.

State permit thresholds

Hauler-registration thresholds vary widely. Verify the exact number with the state environmental agency before quoting any tire-bearing job, and re-verify annually because thresholds are amended in budget sessions.

Common patterns:

• Low threshold (any tires require hauler permit): several southeastern states require a permit to transport even a single waste tire for hire.
• Mid threshold (around 10 tires or more): many midwestern states use a count around 10 as the trigger for hauler registration plus manifesting.
• High threshold (around 25 tires or more): a smaller group uses a higher commercial-load threshold.

Process to confirm:

1. Search " scrap tire program" on the state environmental agency website (not a third-party).
2. Locate the hauler-registration page; record the current threshold and permit form.
3. Save the disposal-site list. Many states publish a registry of permitted tire processors.
4. Re-verify every January.

Manifest workflow

Most state tire programs require a paper or electronic manifest for any load above the hauler threshold. Standard fields:

• Generator name, address, and signature
• Hauler name, registration number, and signature
• Disposal facility name, permit number, and signature on receipt
• Tire count by category (passenger, light truck, medium truck, off-road)
• Date of generation, transport, and receipt

Retention: most states require 3 years; some require 5. Default to 5-year retention in tenant storage with a scan on file.

Crew pre-load checklist

Before loading tires at the customer site:

1. Confirm count by category. Off-road and tractor tires often have separate per-tire disposal fees and may not be accepted at passenger-tire processors.
2. Photograph the pile before loading for the customer file.
3. Drain any standing water from sidewall pockets (mosquito control; some states cite for transport with standing water).
4. Verify the destination facility is on the current state list and is accepting your category that day. Processors close intake when their inventory caps.
5. Print the manifest before leaving the yard. Do not hand-write at the gate.

Common rejections at processor gates

• Bead damage hiding a rim: processors charge separate rates for tires with rims still installed. Pre-dismount on the truck or be ready to pay the rim-on rate.
• Solid (non-pneumatic) tires from forklifts and lawn equipment are not accepted at standard tire processors. Route to a metal recycler or a specialty solid-tire facility.
• Liquid contamination: tires soaked in fuel or oil are refused at every processor. These route to hazardous waste under RCRA Subtitle C.
• Excessive volume above the daily intake cap: call ahead for loads of more than roughly 100 passenger-tire equivalents.

Pricing posture for customers

Disposal-cost pass-throughs are common in this trade because processor rates are public and change. The standard practice is to quote a tire-handling fee separate from the truck-volume fee on the invoice line item, with the processor receipt available on request. This keeps the customer informed when state fees change without renegotiating the base quote.

References

• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 40 CFR Subchapter I (solid waste framework)
• 40 CFR 257 and 40 CFR 258 (non-hazardous solid waste landfill criteria)
• DOT 49 CFR Subchapter C (hazardous materials transport, applies to mixed loads)
• State scrap-tire program pages (search " scrap tire program" on the state environmental agency website)