Scrap Tire Amnesty Day Scheduled for Saturday in Sandia Park

SANDIA PARK — Bernalillo County officials are offering residents a free opportunity to discard unwanted scrap tires this month as part of an ongoing environmental initiative to reduce community litter and health hazards.

The latest installment of the county’s “Tire Amnesty Days” will take place Saturday, June 27, at the Vista Grande Community Center, located at 15 La Madera Road in Sandia Park. The event will run from 8 a.m. to noon, or until the designated collection dumpsters reach capacity.

The program is aimed strictly at residential cleanup. Under county guidelines, individuals may transport and drop off a maximum of nine passenger car or truck tires per vehicle. Regulations prohibit commercial entities or businesses from participating, and no other household trash or debris will be accepted at the site.

County planning and development organizers noted that residents should be prepared to labor on their own, as on-site personnel may not be available to assist with unloading tires from vehicles.

Local officials emphasize that proper scrap tire disposal is critical for New Mexico communities. When left in yards, alleys, or open desert land, stockpiled tires create breeding grounds for disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents, while also posing a severe risk for difficult-to-extinguish fires. Since launching the multi-agency amnesty campaign, the county has successfully diverted dozens of tons of scrap rubber away from illegal dumping sites and toward designated recycling pipelines.

Residents seeking additional information regarding the event schedule or guidelines can visit the official county portal at bernco.gov/scraptires or call the program helpline at (505) 401-7654.