HR0084 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0084 LRB103 30852 ECR 57356 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Post consumer use tires are being burned as tire-derived fuel versus a more environmentally friendly option of being recycled; and

WHEREAS, Currently, there is a $2.50 tax when purchasing tires in Illinois, and an additional dollar is added when the purchase is made within the City of Chicago; this tax goes towards the proper disposal of tires to ensure they do not end up in cheap landfills; the tax helps get rid of tires by sending them to locations where they are used as fuel or are recycled; a larger portion of used tires are used as fuel simply because it is easier than recycling; tire-derived fuel produces the same amount of energy as fossil fuels and has the same negative carbon footprint; burning tires for fuel has the same negative impact on our environment as does the burning of fossil fuels; while it is better to burn tires for fuel versus sending them to landfill, a more effective option is to recycle the tires; and

WHEREAS, To ensure an increase in tires being recycled, a mandatory number of tires could be moved through recycling plants each year; with this type of requirement, tires would not be automatically sent to the cheapest location, and the current tax rate could be maintained, providing stability and certainty for those disposing of tires while engaging in more sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the implementation of a requirement of a minimum limit of tires that must be recycled each year or a percentage of total tires disposed that must be sent to recycling facilities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That if companies are resistant to the possible increase of cost in sending used tires to recycling plants rather than fuel facilities then incentives should be adopted to encourage recycling; and be it further

RESOLVED, That to guarantee the progress of this change, Illinois should adopt monitoring and reporting for companies who dispose of tires.