An Iowa man reportedly told a sheriff’s deputy that he intended to burn 600 tires this week. Thankfully, he was stopped when his count reached only 20.
A passerby saw a smoky fire about 10 a.m. Monday in Sioux County, which is in northwestern Iowa. The Granville Fire Department and Sioux County Sheriff’s Department responded.
According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Nathan Paul Zuiderveen of Midwest Dairy Renovations told the deputy that he was in the process of getting rid of 600 tires at the site. The burn site is near Granville, at a non-active dairy which Midwest Dairy Renovations is cleaning to operate.
Even so, the open burning of tires is not allowed in Iowa. It produces dense smoke and toxic air pollutants including benezene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The intense heat can create pyrolytic oil that, when mixed with extinguishing materials, can contaminate surrounding soil, surface water and groundwater.
The fire was quickly put out. The smoldering remains were covered with clay.
