Waste Tire Management Program

Waste Tire Carriers: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a "waste tire"?

A waste tire, by law, is a tire "that is no longer suitable for its original intended purpose because of wear, damage or defect." DEQ's administrative rules clarify this definition to include "recappable casings."

Tires both on and off rims can be considered waste tires. However, a used tire which can be resold for use as a tire on a vehicle, tires on rims that are used to tow abandoned vehicles into a shop or tires used as stands to hold up wrecked vehicles, are not waste tires.

What is a waste tire carrier permit?

Waste tire carrier permits are issued by DEQ to ensure that waste tires generated in the State of Oregon are transported only by individuals/businesses authorized to transport waste tires to processing or disposal facilities authorized by the Department.

Who is required to have a permit?

Any person who is in the business of collecting or transporting waste tires. This requirement applies regardless of how the person or business obtains custody of the tires or whether the tires are bought or obtained free of charge.

What about used tires?

Any person whose primary tire business is the sale of used tires must get a permit if that person/business hauls waste tires.

What if I store tires?

If you store more than 100 waste tires at any one time, you must have a waste tire storage permit. Retreaders may store up to 3,000 tires before they must get a permit. Tire retailers and auto wreckers may store up to 1,500 waste tires without a permit. If you need both a carrier and storage permit, you can get a waste tire combo permit instead of two separate permits.

Who does not need a permit to haul waste/used tires?

• Solid waste collectors operating under a license or franchise from any local government unit.
• A private individual transporting the individuals own waste tires to a processor or for proper disposal.
• A private carrier transporting the carriers own waste tires to a processor or for proper disposal.
• A person transporting fewer than five tires to a processor or for proper disposal.
• Persons transporting tire-derived products to a market.
• Persons transporting tire chips that meet the chipping standards in OAR 340-064-0052.
• The Unites States, the State of Oregon, any county, city, town or municipality in this state or any agency of the United States, the State of Oregon or a county, city, town or municipality of this state.

What should I do if I'm not sure what category I fall into?

Call Oregon DEQ at 503-229-5409 or toll-free within Oregon, 1-800-452-4011 x5409. ()

Franchised garbage haulers pick up waste tires and transport them for disposal. Are they included in the permit requirement?

Franchised garbage haulers are specifically exempted from the permit requirement.

What does a permit cost?

A permit will cost $175, plus $25 for each vehicle permitted. There is an additional one-time application fee of $25. A bond (or other form of financial assurance acceptable to the Department) in the amount of $5,000 is also required. Only the motorized vehicle is permitted. Trailers attached to motorized vehicles do not need a permit. Permits are usually issued for three years. There is an annual fee of $175, payable in February of each year of the permit.

What if I want to add other vehicles at a later date?

To add other vehicles to your permit, obtain an operating plan from the Department, fill it out showing the new vehicle, and return it to the Department. Submit $25 for each new vehicle, along with the operating plan.

May I use vehicles not listed on my hauler permit to transport waste tires under special circumstances, such as the breakdown of a permitted vehicle?

No. In order to haul waste tires, you must use only a permitted vehicle.

May I rent vehicles to transport tires?

A permittee must obtain a special permit option in order to haul tires with leased vehicles. Vehicles must be leased on a short-term basis (less than 30 days). Once a permittee has obtained the short-term lease option, the option can be used at any time. The Department will provide special cab cards for the leased vehicles.

Once I'm permitted, can I contract with a truck owner who will drive their truck for me?

No, because your carrier bond does not cover contract agreements. You are permitted to haul used/waste tires. You are not permitted to contract with a person who is not a DEQ permitted waste tire carrier. If you lease vehicles on a short-term basis, it is you or your employee who must operate the vehicle. If someone other than you or your employee operates the vehicle, it is contracting, not leasing.

What if I have a large trucking business; do I have to get a decal for each truck in my fleet?

No. There is a special common carrier class waste tire carrier permit for trucking companies with more than 15 vehicles in their fleet. They may pay a single fee of $375 (in addition to regular waste tire carrier permit fees) to cover their fleet instead of buying a decal for each vehicle.

How do I start the permitting process?

Call or e-mail Mary Fritzmann-Smith to acquire an application. Fill out the application completely. Submit the bond forms to your bonding or insurance company. Submit the application bond and fees to DEQ at the address on the application form.

How do I obtain a waste tire carrier bond?

Contact a bonding or insurance company. Use a standard bond form provided by DEQ. If you cannot obtain a bond, the Department will accept other types of financial assurance, but you must obtain special forms from the Department to do this. Remember that any financial assurance provided by you will be held by the Department for two years after the end of your tire hauling activities.

After I've obtained a bond, is that the end of the financial assurance requirement?

No. Bonds must be renewed annually. Failure to keep your bond active will result in the suspension of your waste tire carrier permit. Keeping a bond active usually means paying your bonding company's annual premium.

Once I'm permitted, where do I take my tires?

You can take your tires to any site approved by DEQ and listed on your permit. In the application process, you submit the names of sites you want to use. The Department approves sites that are acceptable. You may add other sites at a later date by filing an amended operating plan. If you are hauling waste tires out-of-state, the facility must be authorized by the state or local government there.

What about keeping records?

Permitted waste tire carriers are required to submit to the Department an annual report of the number of waste tires picked up and disposed of. Records of the number of tires collected must be kept for at least three years; records on where the tires were disposed of should be kept for five years.

Do individuals who aren't required to have a waste tire carrier permit have any obligations?

Yes. Any person/business who handles or generates more than 100 waste tires per year must keep a log of the amount of waste tires generated and handled. In addition, anyone who generates any number of waste tires must keep receipts to establish that the tires were properly disposed of. This requirement includes both those having their tires hauled by a permitted waste tire carrier and those hauling their own waste tires. These receipts must be kept for a period of two years following disposal of the tires.

What happens if I don't keep receipts?

Any person/business that cannot show receipts demonstrating proper disposal of tires may be subject to fine by the Department.

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