Thanks to a grant from the Ohio EPA, Lawrence County residents will have two chances to get rid of unwanted tires.

The Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District will host two tire amnesty days where county residents can properly dispose of passenger and light truck tires for free.

The first event will be from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday at the Ironton Hills Plaza. The second will be from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Aug. 26 at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds.

“By law, they are allowed (to dispose of) 10 tires,” Dan Palmer, director of the LSSWMD, said. “But if they want to leave and come back with more, we are going to permit it.”

Palmer said the district spent this past winter assisting the villages and townships in in cleaning illegal tire dumps, collecting more than 1,000 tires that will also be disposed of during the amnesty events.

“We are bringing this opportunity to you, so there is no rhyme or reason for people to discard tires on county and township roads,” Palmer said.

Palmer also said the Ohio EPA awarded grants to local health departments for mosquito spraying and illegally dumping tires creates breeding grounds for the insects, which can carry diseases.

The tire amnesty events are only open for Lawrence County residents and proof of residency must be presented. Tires must be off the rim and no businesses are permitted.

Palmer said those dropping off tires do not have to get out of their vehicles as there will be a team of workers unloading the tires.