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Madison County Mosquito Control, Madison County Solid Waste and Madison County Emergency Management are partnering to host a waste tire “Tire Round Up.” This event will give residents the ability to dispose of old tires free of charge. The “Tire Round Up” will be held for two weekends in Sept. allowing residents plenty of opportunity to get rid of old unused tires. The first “Tire Round Up” will take place on Friday, Sept. 16 and Saturday, Sept. 17. The second event will be held on Friday, Sept. 23 and Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Madison County Solid Waste Recycling Center, located at 2040 NE Rocky Ford Rd., in Madison from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. There is no limit as to the number of tires allowed, however the event is open only to the citizens of Madison County. The tire round up does not apply to businesses, as businesses must continue to dispose of waste tires consistent with the procedures outlined by the Department of Environmental Protection. As the concern over mosquito transmitted diseases continues to increase and the Zika virus threat increases in our state, the citizens of Madison are encouraged to take a proactive approach to the prevention of this virus. By disposing of old and unused tires, possible breeding sources are greatly reduced.
The Zika virus is transmitted by the Aedes Eagyptae and Aedes Albopictus mosquitos, which are primarily daytime feeders. Their preferred breeding grounds are man-made containers, such as tires, flower pots, buckets and other yard debris. The best way to eliminate these mosquitos from around your home is to eliminate the places they breed. Those most susceptible to Zika are pregnant women as Zika is known to cause birth defects, such as microcephaly. It is important that citizens take precautions by applying mosquito repellant when outdoors and mosquito proofing their homes. While most identified Zika cases are travel related, it is important to take necessary precautions to prevent any mosquito related illnesses. Cases of Encephalitis have been identified as close to us as Jefferson County. The Madison County Health Department provides information packets on prevention and recognizing symptoms of the Zika virus for residents of Madison County. Funding for this event is provided by Madison County Emergency Management, Madison County Solid Waste and Recycling Department and Madison County Mosquito Control.