Toss Out Old Tires For Free At Pasco County Event

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL — Pasco County residents who want to get rid of old tires without paying a fee are in luck. The county has announced an upcoming free collection date to coincide with its efforts to keep Pasco Zika virus-free.

The county will accept used tires, free of charge, on Sunday, March 13, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at both of its landfill locations:

• West Pasco Resource Recovery Facility, 14606 Hays Road in Spring Hills
• East Pasco Transfer Station, 9626 Handcart Road in Dade City

Residents are normally charged $2 per car or pickup truck tire disposed. Larger truck and semi tires cost $10. In order to take advantage of the promotion, people will have to show proof of Pasco County residency.

The free collection events are being staged to help prevent the spread of the Zika virus, county officials have said.

“We encourage Pasco County residents to take advantage of this opportunity to get rid of your unwanted tires,” Pasco County Mosquito Control District Director Dennis Moore said in a media release. “Used tires are an ideal habitat for mosquitoes to develop, especially the specific type that can potentially transmit Zika virus.”

See Also:

• Zika Virus Confirmed In 3 Pregnant Floridians
• Zika Virus Information Floridians Need To Know
• Ebola Funds May Help Combat Zika

Zika is a mosquito-borne illness that is characterized by a fever, rash and joint pain. According to the state, only about one out of five people infected with Zika are symptomatic. While the illness typically resolves within a week, some severe cases may require hospitalization.

It is especially dangerous for pregnant women. Several reports havelinked Zika in mothers with microcephaly in infants. That condition, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, is a potentially life-threatening birth defect where a baby’s head is smaller than expected.

Aside from mosquitoes, Zika can be spread through sexual contact in some cases, the CDC notes.

While Florida’s cases to date have originated through foreign travel, the state urges residents and visitors to protect themselves from mosquitoes.

To help residents resolve questions about the virus and its spread, the state has set up a Zika Virus Information Hotline. That number is 1-855-622-6735.

Florida had 44 confirmed Zika virus cases, including four involving pregnant women, as of Tuesday. Hillsborough County is the only Tampa Bay area county with confirmed cases. All of the state’s cases remain travel related, state health officials say.

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