Province to clean up abandoned tires in Assiniboia

Province to clean up Assiniboia tire pile The province has a plan to clean up a pile of used tires in Assiniboia. Wayne Mantyka reports.

The Ministry of Environment and the province’s tire recycling program operator are moving ahead with a plan to clean up abandoned scrap tires in Assiniboia.

The Assiniboia Rubber Recycling Plant has been closed since February of 2014. The closure left behind more than 6,600 tonnes of scrap tires and other materials.

The Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan (TSS) asked for a proposal earlier this year to get rid of the scrap tires at the site and determine the cost.

“Any contaminated site in Saskatchewan becomes a risk to public health and safety if not managed properly,” Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said. “Our government is committed to securing a better quality of life for all Saskatchewan people. To help meet that commitment, the Ministry of Environment is taking steps through The Environmental Management and Protection Act, 2010 to address the cleanup of abandoned scrap tires in Assiniboia to ensure public safety.”

The provincial government will fund the cleanup overseen by the TSS. The TSS says funding from the provincial government is necessary to be able to complete the project and remove a health and safety risk to the town of Assiniboia.

“The town is very pleased with this announcement, as this issue has been very concerning for council, administration and our greater community,” Assiniboia Mayor Bob Himbeault said. “We are looking forward to a successful resolution.”

Clean up of the site is expected to be completed in 2019.