ST. LUCIE COUNTY – St. Lucie County will host three Tire Amnesty Events to provide residents a way to recycle unused tires at no cost to them as a way to reduce mosquito breeding, as unused tires stored around yards are notorious for collecting water and becoming prime habitat for disease-carrying mosquito species. This initiative will provide a no-cost option to get those tires recycled.

Residents can take part in St. Lucie County’s tire amnesty program on: 

• Saturday, May 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Lucie County Baling & Recycling Facility, located at 6120 Glades Cut-Off Road in Fort Pierce
• Saturday, May 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Paula Lewis Branch Library, located at 2950 SW Rosser Blvd. in Port St. Lucie
• Saturday, June 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Lucie County’s Mosquito Control and Public Works Compound, located at 3150 Will Fee Road in Fort Pierce.

St. Lucie County residents will have the option of recycling up to six non-commercial tires (26 inches or less) at any of the scheduled tire amnesty events. Tires will only be accepted without rims. Each resident will also need to provide a valid photo ID to recycle their tires.

As we enter the rainy season, residents are reminded to protect themselves and their property in the fight against mosquitoes. To prevent mosquito bites, residents are reminded to wear light clothing that covers the arms and legs when jogging or walking in the evenings, as well as using EPA-registered insect repellents containing active ingredients such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), Para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone. Homeowners can also assist in the prevention of mosquito populations by practicing the “tip and toss” method of emptying containers that collect standing water around their homes and yards. Even a bottle cap of standing water can provide a breeding habitat for mosquitoes. Plants, especially bromeliads, can also serve as mosquito breeding grounds. However, there are commercial granules that can be purchased to help eliminate the threat.

To find out more about what you can do to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes in your yard, please visit the St. Lucie County Mosquito Control District site. For more information about St. Lucie County’s Tire Amnesty Event, please call the Mosquito Control office at 772-462-1692.