(FOX 2) - The state of Michigan is offering to pay people to clean up their old scrap tire piles as part of a funding effort to repurpose old rubber back into the environment or for energy production.
The Scrap Tire Cleanup Grant is available to property owners looking to clean up their old abandoned scrap tire piles.
The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy says it will give priority to collection sites where tires have accumulated since before Jan. 1, 1991 or sites that pose a threat to public health and the environment.
Scrap tires can become breeding sites for pests and perpetuate blight where piles that start small become dumping grounds.
The grant window is open until Oct. 28 this year. Along with property owners, local governments and nonprofits can also secure funding for cleanup.
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Another funding source called the Scrap Tire Market Development Grant is available to offset 50% of the cost of developing new ways to discard and recycle scrap tires. Often times the old rubber can be used in road projects or other manufacturing uses.
To apply for a grant, visit the Scrap Tire website, and select the appropriate link under "Grant Information," or contact EGLE at EGLE-ScrapTire@Michigan.gov.