Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta

Lilburn cleans up more than 3,000 illegally dumped tires

Lilburn officials, with the help of private property owners, cleaned up up more than 3,000 illegally dumped tires behind Lilburn Market Center. (Courtesy City of Lilburn)
Lilburn officials, with the help of private property owners, cleaned up up more than 3,000 illegally dumped tires behind Lilburn Market Center. (Courtesy City of Lilburn)
By Tyler Wilkins
July 22, 2021

Lilburn officials worked with private property owners to remove more than 3,000 tires dumped behind a shopping center.

It cost the Gwinnett city about $12,000 to move the tires behind Lilburn Market Center off Lawrenceville Highway. A program under Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division will reimburse the city for the costs.

Scrap tires can cause environmental issues when pests turn them into breeding grounds and chemicals contaminate soil. The discarded rubber also poses a fire threat.

The city contracted with Latham Sanitation to complete the cleanup, which occurred over the course of several days. The tires will be processed by Liberty Tire Recycling.

Lilburn officials arrested the perpetrators during an undercover operation before the cleanup began, said Jenny Simpkins, assistant city manager, in an email. It’s unclear how long the illegal dumping had occurred, she said.

About the Author

Tyler Wilkins is a local news reporter covering the cities of Gwinnett County for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He's particularly interested in explaining how local government institutions impact the residents they serve. He is a Georgia native and graduate of the University of Georgia.

Follow Tyler Wilkins on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

An aerial photo shows some of the homes in Buckhead nestled in trees against part of the Atlanta skyline. Atlanta has adopted a goal of 50% canopy coverage, but the city’s tree cover has been short of that mark for years. (Hyosub Shin/AJC 2021)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC

As Atlanta’s new tree protection rules take shape, home builders push back

Atlanta officials indicated Thursday they are ready to move forward with a revamp of Atlanta’s tree protection rules, but developers are not pleased with the proposals.

Girl, 13, dies after tree falls on Atlanta home during heavy storms

A tree fell onto a home on Mims Street near Martin Luther King Jr. and Westview drives in southwest Atlanta on Saturday, according to a fire department spokesperson.

South Fulton mayor gives farewell address on city’s 8th anniversary

Hundreds gather for State of the City address and to hear khalid kamau's goodbye speech.

The Latest

Tim Carl (second from left) of Advantage Graphics & Signs uses a torch to guarantee the cohesiveness of the new Mercedes-Benz signage at the MARTA Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center Transit in Atlanta, Wednesday, January 16, 2019. (ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM)

Credit: Alyssa Pointer / AJC

What’s in a name? New MARTA station name a nod to sports before World Cup

9m ago

DeKalb CEO promises ‘most progressive years’ in State of the County speech

Showers possible throughout Thursday; stronger storms reach metro Atlanta later

Featured

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., speaks at the Johnny Mercer Theatre Civic Center, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Savannah, Ga. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Credit: AP

‘MAGA warrior’ Buddy Carter jumps into Georgia Senate race against Ossoff

U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter launches Georgia Senate bid to unseat Jon Ossoff

$110M Ponzi scheme investors lose appeals against Oppenheimer

Retirees who invested their life savings in a Marietta man’s $110 million Ponzi scheme have lost their lawsuits against his former employer, Oppenheimer.

Dalton college student joins father in ICE detention after traffic stop

The back-to-back arrests of the Dalton father and daughter illustrate the risks of getting behind the wheel for immigrants living in the country without legal status.