11,000 Tires Headed for Recycling as Moon Lake Cleanup Begins

New Port Richey area residents concerned about the massive tire accumulation on Bessemer Street won’t have to worry much longer.

The Pasco County Commission has stepped in, ordering the removal of more than 11,000 tires from 10529 Bessemer St. Considering the amount of tires involved, however, the county anticipates it will take several days for workers to round up all the tires.

County spokesman Doug Tobin said the tires will be taken to a state Department of Environmental Protection-approved recycler.

The cleanup is a joint project involving workers from Pasco County Mosquito Control and the utilities, road and bridge, and solid waste departments.

The Bessemer Street property has been a concern for years. Back in 2008, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection stated the tire accumulation posed health risks related to disease transmission by mosquitos and rodents. In addition, the tires posed a fire hazard, a state report said.

The 6.17-acre residential property is owned by an estate and has been tied up in legal proceedings for quite some time. Despite the state’s efforts, a cleanup of the property was tied up in legal red tape until the county stepped in.

Photo Credit: Workers are beginning the process of removing more than 11,000 tires from a Moon Lake property. Photo courtesy of Pasco County