A company that recycles used tires has been dumping more than 200,000 tires at the Allen County Landfill over the past six months, prompting county leaders to consider changes to the way it handles or charges for tire collection.
Shane Lamb with FMS/United Tire told commissioners he needs to dump shredded tires at the landfill until he’s able to build a facility that can convert the material into fine, crumb rubber that is a highly desirable recycled product used by many industries.
Lamb operates out of a facility at the former Lehigh Portland Cement plant.
Since February, Lamb’s company has dumped 1,980.57 tons of tire material at the landfill.
By comparison, the next highest customer, J.D.’s Automotive, dumped 67.31 tons in the same period.
The county charges Allen County residents and businesses a fee of $5.50 per ton for cut or shredded tires, compared to $130 per ton for out-of-county residents.
Commissioners and Public Works Director Mitch Garner told Lamb they are concerned because the landfill could soon run out of room for tires if that rate continues, and because many of those tires are coming from outside the county.
The situation created a bit of a dilemma: Lamb’s business operates in Allen County, but if most of the tires come from outside the county, which rate should he pay?
“We’re processing a lot of tires that aren’t Allen County tires but you’re paying Allen County prices,” Chairman David Lee said.
Lamb said he believes he should pay the county rate, as the origin of the item shouldn’t matter.
The situation is temporary, he said. He expects to build a larger facility within the next year and a half. The shredded tires will then be further recycled.
Currently, about 70% of the tires he collects cannot be recycled. He is able to sell semi tires to a company that recycles them for playgrounds, while others are used to create watering stations for cattle. Usable tires are resold.
In previous years, Monarch and Ash Grove Aggregates used facilities to burn tires. Those efforts were shuttered. Lamb hopes those facilities will be upgraded to allow for a return to burning, but that could take a couple of years.
He also takes tires to landfills at Chanute, Coffey County in Burlington and places near Kansas City. 
Most of the tires that go to the landfill come from passenger cars and light trucks. Those tires could be converted to recycled crumb rubber once Lamb builds a new facility. At that time, he expects to recycle all but about 10% of the tires he collects.
