Old and tired

Cape Girardeau County's new scrap tire program has turned out to be wildly popular. People lined up early in the morning on a Tuesday to rid themselves of their old treads.

More than 2,400 tires were collected in one day to be disposed of. That's a lot fewer tires cluttering our area and a lot fewer mosquitoes to deal with. The pesty insects love to breed in water that collects in old tires.

But mosquito control isn't the only problem with old tires. They spoil the landscape and, when accumulated into large piles, are both a visual and environmental concern.

The scrap tire program is a worthy one for Cape Girardeau County. Other counties have been doing this for some time. The program cost the county $8,785. the Missouri Department of Natural Resources paid the rest.

If you missed the opportunity to dump your tires, you'll have another chance. The commissioners agreed to set a second scrap tire collection for 8 a.m. to noon June 21 at the county's maintenance facility on Highway 34 near its intersection with Highway 72.

No more than 20 tires will be accepted per person. But this is a chance to get rid of what otherwise is a problem to deal with.