Alabama Department of Revenue

Office of the Commissioner
Media Affairs Section
Post Office Box 327001
50 North Ripley Street
Montgomery, Alabama 36132-7001
For Immediate Release

For More Information Contact:
Carla A. Snellgrove
or Carolyn Blackstock
Telephone: (334) 242-1390
FAX: (334) 242-0550
www.ador.state.al.us

Montgomery, July 30, 1999--A new law which goes into effect Oct. 1, 1999, requires scrap tire handlers to obtain an annual license, in addition to any licenses currently held, and maintain records regarding the receipt and disposal of scrap tires within Alabama, announced State Commissioner of Revenue James P. Hayes Jr.

According to the new law, any person, company or corporation who receives scrap tires during normal business activities or operations is subject to the new license. Scrap tire handlers include a variety of business operations such as retail tire dealerships, service stations, garages, scrap tire collection facilities, landfills which accept scrap tires, tire recycling facilities, fleet vehicle operators/fleet tire receivers, and anyone involved in the business of transporting scrap tires for delivery to a collection or landfill facility.

The new licensing provisions generally do not apply to individuals or businesses disposing of scrap tires removed from vehicles owned and used by them or to land owners removing scrap tires illegally dumped or discarded on their property.

The license must be applied for by October 1 each year and will expire after September 30 each year. Fees will be paid to the appropriate county licensing authority, which is usually the probate judge or license commissioner of a county.

Fees and licensing requirements are detailed as follows:

• Individuals, companies or corporations operating as a scrap tire receiver or scrap tire collection facility, $37.50 per year. The license or a copy of the license must be clearly posted for public viewing at each location.

--MORE--

New License Requirements for Scrap tire Handlers

Add One

July 30, 1999

• Individuals, companies or corporations operating as a fleet tire receiver, $375 per year. License is valid for each location where fleet operations are conducted. A copy of the license must be clearly posted at each location for public viewing.

• Individuals, companies or corporations operating as a scrap tire transporter, regardless of whether the business is physically located in the state, $37.50 per year. If more than one vehicle is operated and used to transport scrap tires, an additional fee of $15 per vehicle is collected. Although the law requires the license to be issued in the county of the scrap tire transporter's principal place of business, the license will authorize statewide collection and transportation of the scrap tires. The license or a copy of the license must be kept inside the vehicle at all times for inspection by state and county enforcement officers. Each vehicle licensed as a scrap tire transporter will be issued a decal displaying the license number, to be displayed on the lower right-hand corner of the vehicle's windshield.

In addition to licensing requirements, a scrap tire collection facility and a scrap tire transporter are required to meet certain bonding requirements. The amount of the bond will be determined by the county commission of the county where the license application is made. Proof of the bond is required when applying for the license.

Violations of Act 99-597 carry significant penalties and fines. State and county agencies/offices involved in the law's enforcement urge all individuals and businesses affected by the law, to comply with applicable license fees, scrap tire collection and disposal procedures, and recordkeeping requirements. Penalties and fines are:

• $300 minimum fine per violation;

• $500 penalty per violation for failure to obtain a license;

• $500 penalty per violation for failure to properly display a scrap tire license decal on a vehicle used to transport scrap tires;

New License Requirements for Scrap tire Handlers

Add Two

July 30, 1999

• $5 fine assessed per tire against any person who transfers, transports, stores, or disposes of scrap tires in violation of the scrap tire handlers' licensing law;

• $5 fine assessed per tire against any person found removing scrap tires from a scrap tire handler without specific permission of the handler.

Further, any person convicted of disposing of scrap tires in violation of Act 99-597 will be held personally and financially responsible for the proper removal of the scrap tires, according to

Act 99-597 and any rules or regulations set by the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

Proceeds from the license fees are split 50-50: 50 percent of all monies collected within a county will be paid to the Alabama Department of Public Health for administration and enforcement provisions of the law; the remainder will be retained by that county and deposited into a special fund to be used by the county commission for the administration and enforcement provisions of the scrap tire handlers' licensing law.

For more information concerning the scrap tire handlers' licensing law, contact the following state and county offices:

• Licensing and recordkeeping requirements: Alabama Department of Revenue, Severance and License Tax Section, at (334) 353-7827;

• Penalty and enforcement provisions and bonding requirements: local county commission office;

• Scrap tire removal and disposal requirements and regulations: Alabama Department of Environmental Management at (334) 271-7988 and the Alabama Department of Public Health, at (334) 206-5373.