Nassau County Offers Free Tire Disposal Saturday in Callahan

Nassau County residents will have a free opportunity this weekend to dispose of old tires cluttering garages, yards, and sheds as the county hosts its Waste Tire Amnesty Day on Saturday, November 7.

The event runs from 8:30 a. m. to noon at the Convenience Recycle Center on Landfill Road in Callahan, or until the collection trailer fills to capacity. County officials are encouraging residents to take advantage of the no-cost disposal to help prevent mosquito breeding, reduce illegal dumping, and keep neighborhoods clean.

What's happening

Nassau County's Communications Officer Sabrina Robertson announced the tire collection event in a November 4 notice to residents. The amnesty day will accept unwanted tires from county residents at the Convenience Recycle Center, located at 46026 Landfill Rd. in Callahan.

The collection window opens at 8:30 a. m. Saturday morning and continues until noon or until the collection trailer reaches capacity, whichever comes first. There is no charge to residents for tire disposal during the event.

According to the county notice, proper tire disposal addresses three key concerns: preventing mosquito breeding in standing water that collects in discarded tires, maintaining neighborhood cleanliness, and protecting the environment from improper disposal practices.

Why tire disposal matters for public health

Discarded tires pose a significant mosquito-breeding risk in Northeast Florida's warm, humid climate. Tires collect rainwater in their hollow centers and treads, creating ideal breeding habitat for mosquitoes, including species that can carry diseases such as West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis, and dengue fever.

A single tire holding stagnant water can produce thousands of mosquito larvae. The rubber material retains heat, which accelerates mosquito development, and the dark interior protects larvae from predators and sunlight. Florida's year-round breeding season means that even a few abandoned tires can sustain mosquito populations through multiple generations.

Nassau County's mosquito-control efforts typically focus on eliminating standing water sources, treating retention ponds and ditches, and spraying adult populations during peak activity periods. Removing tires from residential properties eliminates breeding sites before control measures become necessary, reducing both the mosquito burden and the need for chemical intervention.

For homeowners, the public-health benefit is direct: fewer mosquitoes breeding on or near their property means fewer bites, less disease risk, and more comfortable outdoor living during evenings and weekends.

The illegal dumping problem

Tire amnesty events also address the chronic problem of illegal tire dumping on vacant lots, roadsides, and rural properties throughout Nassau County. Tires are bulky, difficult to dispose of through regular trash pickup, and often carry disposal fees at private facilities, creating an incentive for improper disposal.

Illegal dumping degrades property values, creates visual blight along roadways, and burdens county code enforcement and solid-waste staff who must locate, document, and remove illegally dumped materials. In rural areas of Nassau County, where development is converting former timberland and agricultural parcels into subdivisions, vacant lots and unpaved roads can become dumping targets.

When counties offer free disposal events, participation typically reduces the volume of tires appearing on roadsides and undeveloped parcels in the weeks and months that follow. Residents who have been storing old tires—whether from vehicle changes, lawn equipment, or trailers—gain a legal, convenient disposal path rather than abandoning them.

The environmental impact extends beyond aesthetics. Tires do not biodegrade; they can leach chemicals into soil and groundwater over time, and in the event of a fire, tire piles produce toxic smoke and are difficult to extinguish. Florida has experienced large-scale tire fires at illegal dump sites that have burned for days and required extensive emergency response.

What residents should know before heading to Callahan

The Convenience Recycle Center in Callahan serves as Nassau County's primary drop-off location for recyclables and certain hard-to-dispose items. Landfill Road is accessed via US 1 or CR 108 west of downtown Callahan, in the northern part of Nassau County near the Duval County line.

Residents planning to participate should be aware that the event ends at noon or when the collection trailer reaches capacity. Amnesty events that accept tires for free often fill quickly, particularly in the final hour, so early arrival is advisable for those with multiple tires or larger truck tires.

The county notice does not specify limits on the number of tires per household or restrictions on tire size, nor does it clarify whether tires must be off-rim. Residents transporting tires should secure them properly in truck beds or trailers to prevent roadway hazards. Those with questions about acceptable tire types or quantities may contact the Nassau County Solid Waste Department in advance of the event.

How Nassau fits into regional waste challenges

Nassau County's population growth—driven by the Wildlight master-planned community near Yulee, new subdivisions along the A1A and SR 200 corridors, and Amelia Island's resort economy—has increased demand on solid-waste and recycling infrastructure. The county has been working to expand waste diversion and recycling programs even as the number of households continues to climb.

Tire amnesty days are part of a broader strategy across Northeast Florida counties to manage hard-to-recycle materials that do not fit into curbside collection programs. Clay, St. Johns, and Duval counties periodically hold similar events for tires, electronics, and household hazardous waste, reflecting the region's shared challenges with rapid residential growth and the waste streams that accompany it.

Properly collected tires are typically sent to recycling facilities where they are shredded and repurposed into rubberized asphalt, playground surfacing, mulch, and fuel for cement kilns. Florida law prohibits landfilling whole tires, making collection and processing programs a regulatory necessity as well as an environmental benefit.

For Nassau County, maintaining clean neighborhoods and controlling mosquito habitat are quality-of-life priorities that directly affect the county's appeal to new residents and its ability to manage growth sustainably. Saturday's event offers a small but concrete opportunity for residents to contribute to both goals—and clear out a corner of the garage in the process.