MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - The "Cash for Tires" or "Tire Redemption Program" is back. It is Memphis' and Shelby County's attempt to fight blight, with one dollar for every tire brought in for recycling. The official announcement will be made on Tuesday.
Memphis and Shelby County have agreed to put up $50,000 each to restart the Cash for Tires program.
"We're anticipating getting over 100,000 tires off the streets,” said city councilman Harold Collins. He and Shelby County Commissioner Steve Mulroy started the program in 2009.
A person can get up to $150 dollars a day.
"It would be wonderful,” said south Memphis resident Sandra Robinson. “I've seen a lot of tires alongside the streets and the roads and the sanitation department will not pick them up."
In fact, Robinson had 5 tires across the street from her home. Nearly all of her neighbors were excited that the Cash for Tires program is coming back.
"When we see the tires we clean it up and then it happens again and we clean it up,” said another neighbor Stanley Lopez.
If all goes well, neighbors won't have to worry about that anymore. It'll be the fourth time the city and county participated in the Cash for Tires program. This time, Collins says there will be a crack down on cheaters.
"We will still have the affidavits available for people where they have to sign and certify that they are a city/county resident, that their tags are city/county tags, and that they're not any shape, form, or fashion affiliated with second hand tire dealers or tire dealerships,” said Collins.
The Cash for Tires program will start as soon as 30 days from now; the official start date will be determined when the city council meets September 18.
