Feds Say 160K Tires At Southern California Recycling Plant Pose Danger

Federal regulators say a Southern California desert tire recycler’s 160,000 discarded tires are dangerous.

The Environmental Protection Agency told Mecca’s Consolidated Tire Recyclers a year ago that the tires were a fire risk and the outdoor piles needed to be removed.

But little has been done and the Desert Sun of Palm Springs reports the original estimate of 70,000 tires has now burgeoned to more than twice that amount.

The EPA says the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, operators of the recycling plant 140 miles southeast of Los Angeles, have removed only about 10,000 tires since April.

A fire on July 4 caused $400,000 damage to a building at the facility.