MORE THAN 400 TONS OF USED TIRES HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM PAJARITO MESA IN SOUTHWESTERN BERNALILLO COUNTY. COUNTY PLANNING DIRECTOR ENRICO GRADI TELLS NEWSRADIO KKOB THERE WERE ABOUT 100-THOUSAND TIRES ON PRIVATE PROPERTY NEAR RIO PUERCO.
HE SAYS THE LONGER THE TIRES STAY THERE, THE MORE THEY BECOME EMBEDDED IN THE EARTH, CAUSING DRAINAGE PROBLEMS TO WATER WAYS. GRADI ALSO SAYS THE MESS OF TIRES WAS JUST UNATTRACTIVE.
THE REMOVAL WAS DONE IN TWO PHASES LAST YEAR. AT THIS POINT ABOUT 90-PERCENT OF THE TIRES HAVE BEEN REMOVED. THOSE TIRES ARE THEN SENT OUT OF STATE FOR RECYCLING.
