TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. and#8212; Did you know that Californians produce more than 40 million waste tires every single year? According to the CalRecycle more than 1.5 million waste tires end up illegally disposed. Weand#8217;ve all seen it, tires in the forest, tires at the bottom of Donner Lake, tires behind supermarkets. Maybe you have some old tires youand#8217;ve been meaning to recycle but donand#8217;t know how.

The Town of Truckee, Placer County, Tahoe Truckee Sierra Disposal, and CalRecycle continue to offer residents free recycling for unwanted waste tires.

Special waste tire collection events

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Truckee, Nevada County and Placer County residents (no commercial customers), may take up to nine waste tires per load to recycle for free for a limited time only. Itand#8217;s illegal to haul more than nine tires at one time without a special hauling variance so keep it simple. Bring passenger car tires, tires with studs, light truck and SUV tires only. No oversized or tires on rims please. First and third Saturdays, now through June 2012, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Eastern Regional Landfill, Cabin Creek Road.

Improperly stored and illegally dumped tires present hazards to the public and the environment. Tires can trap water and provide vector breeding grounds as well as provide homes for rodents and other unwanted pests. Tires are flammable, and can potentially burn hot enough to create an oil run off which could contaminate soil and ground water.

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The Tire Amnesty Events are funded by a grant from the CalRecycle. Tires collected throughout the grant term will be hauled and recycled by Waste Recovery West of Sacramento for recycling. If you have special needs or circumstances please call Nichole Dorr, recycling coordinator at 530-582-2909.

According to CalRecycle proper tire care will extend the life of your tires and can improve your gas mileage. CalRecycle has provided the following tips for basic tire related maintenance:

Pressure. Maintain proper tire pressure. Under inflation makes tires work harder, get hotter, cause uneven tread wear and reduces gas mileage.

Alignment. Have your wheels aligned on a regular basis. Improper alignment can cause the car to pull, leading to uneven tread wear. This is especially important when driving on bumpy rural roads.

Rotate. Rotate tires every 5,000 miles or as recommended by the tire manufacture.

Tread. Do the good old and#8220;penny test.and#8221; Place a penny into tread groove. If Lincolnand#8217;s head is covered by tread you have a good tire. If you can see all of Abeand#8217;s head you should replace your tires.

Storage. If you are changing out your tires make sure to store your tires in an upright position to prevent distortion or disfiguration. If you must stack your tires stack them two high to help prevent distortion on the bottom tire. When storing tires that have been inflated, deflate to 50 percent the normal pressure. Keep value caps in place.

Store your tires in a clean, cool and well ventilated space.

Be sure to inspect tires for cracks before mounting.

For more information on proper tire care and storage techniques talk to your local tire supply stores.

and#8212; Submitted to aedgett@sierrasun.com