Feb 19 - Used Tire Reef More Hazardous than Hospitable

Fish off the coast of Florida are finding an artificial tire reef placed there uninhabitable. The reef, once thought to be a conscientious disposal of used tires, has proven to be a bane on marine life and beachgoers. From the Waste Business Journal newsroom:

An artificial reef of used tires created in 1972 off Fort Lauderdale, Fla. has become an ecological disaster. Tires frequently wash up on beaches and become wedged under natural coral reefs, killing the coral. Coastal America, a conservation group, is coordinating a cleanup where Navy divers will to retrieve the tires as part of their training and Broward County will manage their disposal. "We've literally dumped millions of tires in our oceans," said Jack Sobel, a senior marine scientist. "I believe that people who were behind the artificial tire reef promotions actually were well intentioned and thought they were doing the right thing. In hindsight, we now realize that we made a mistake."

Complete Article>>

What You Can Do:

Lanh Nguyen