BREVARD COUNTY, Fla – Residents in Brevard County had the chance to clean up their yards while helping reduce mosquito populations during the county’s second annual Tire Amnesty Days event.
Brevard County Mosquito Control, along with other county and state partners, hosted the event from April 16 through April 18, offering residents a free way to dispose of unwanted tires.
Officials say the effort targets a major public health concern: discarded tires that collect standing water and create ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes that can carry diseases such as dengue fever.
“All that water in there is perfect breeding ground for the mosquitoes, which is exactly what Brevard County doesn’t want,” said Mosquito Control Director Joseph Faella.
Faella said many of the tires collected come from residential properties, including yards and garages, but can become a problem when left outdoors.
“A lot of times it’s just the tires that they’ve had in their yard, maybe in the garage. But what we don’t want is for them to wind up outside breeding mosquitoes,” Faella said. “Mosquitoes have the opportunity to lay eggs in those tires. So by pulling them over here, we can get them out of the neighborhoods.”
Residents who took part in the event said removing old tires helps protect both people and pets.
“All the rainwater and the tires filling up and the mosquitoes — it’s not safe for us or the dog,” one resident said.
Officials said the collected tires are treated to kill mosquito larvae before being transported to the landfill.
By the end of the event, mosquito control officials said more than 2,500 tires were collected across two Brevard County locations over the three-day period.
The effort wasn’t limited to Brevard. Volusia County Mosquito Control Division also hosted a drive-thru Tire Amnesty event Saturday in New Smyrna Beach, allowing residents to quickly and safely dispose of unwanted tires at no cost.
Brevard County officials said residents can still dispose of up to four tires for free at the county landfill. Tires must be off the rim and properly prepared for drop-off as part of ongoing county waste management and mosquito prevention efforts.