Politics & Government
Dumping Tires in the Heights Will Get You Busted
The Chicago Heights city council set its crosshairs on local auto repair shops after finding nearly 300 tires dumped along the roadside last summer alone.
An ordinance to help curb a tire dumping epidemic in Chicago Heights was approved by the city council during its Oct. 7 meeting.
Under the new rules, local auto repair shops and all other Chapter Seven licensed businesses will be forced to meet specific disposal requirements, including an on-site method for securing tires. Anyone caught dumping tires will be fined $750 per tire.
Mayor David Gonzales said it became clear city had a problem on its hands during last summer's citywide cleanup event, when nearly 300 old tires were found tossed along the roadside.
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“We couldn’t imagine it was just one person fixing one flat tire and dumping it,” Mayor Gonzalez said. “They were probably coming from businesses.”
The new ordinance will be a way to find out whether local or outside businesses were doing the tire dumping.
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Corporation Counsel Thomas J. Somer says the city will give businesses a couple weeks to comply with the new ordinance.
"They’ll need to come up with a contract with a disposal company quickly,” he said.
Anyone wishing to report activity of tire dumping can call the Chicago Heights Police Department at 708-756-6400.
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