Continental Tyres warns against burning tyres on bonfires

News reports over the last number of weeks have highlighted how local authorities are removing thousands of tyres per day from bonfire stockpiles around the country.  A Dublin City Council spokesperson put the figure at 300 per day in the Dublin area alone. Continental Tyres Ireland is strongly advising people not to include tyres among the material they plan to burn in bonfires this year.

 
Tom Dennigan, General Manager of Continental Tyres Ireland, says: “We have heard reports of many thefts of tyres from tyre dealer premises and, in addition, we know that there are some unscrupulous tyre dealers who are giving old tyres out to youths who are collecting material for the traditional Hallowe’en bonfire. We would strongly advise against burning tyres on a bonfire, for, aside from it being illegal, smoke from burning tyres carries toxins that are detrimental to both humans and animals.  The residue from burnt tyres can also be very damaging to the environment. In fact, the only safe way to burn a tyre is in a concrete kiln which would have sophisticated filtration systems in place to neutralise any toxins”.
 
Hallowe’en is an age-old Celtic celebration of harvest-time that has been celebrated for thousands of years in Ireland, long before our ancestors took it to America, where it was reinvented as a ‘trick or treat’ scare feast.  In Ireland, it has always been a family celebration where children played traditional Hallowe’en games and the bonfire was an integral part of the fun.
 
“In view of the strong family-focus of Hallowe’en celebrations, often with young children being allowed out late for the first time, it is all the more important that we ensure that bonfires are safe for all revellers, young and old.  For this reason it is not advisable to burn tyres or indeed, any other material that may release noxious fumes or that could risk exploding when heated,” concluded Dennigan.