Tire levy in USA?

I recently had to replace a rim on a roadside-find three wheel wheelbarrow.

The tire wasn't flat -- the rim finally separated

So it was time to buy two spanking new flat free rear tires, to accompany the front one that was replaced at the time of acquisition -- not a flat-free but one more inherited with the shed a couple decades ago.

The two I picked out added up to about $40 CAD but on the way to the checkout I saw cheaper almost as good tires at just over half that price, so I ditched the best ones, got to the checkout and the levy was about $12 for two tires.
I asked the cashier to price my original choice (I had the SKU) and the levy was much less -- probably because some clever governmental system was designed by someone really earning their keep and then some because no doubt the nicest tires lasted much longer
It isn't a cheap barrow and I can haul about 100 quarts of rainwater in it easily

Needless to say I bought my first choice

In the USA, are there levies on flat free tires and the like? Just curious because I like this idea when it steers customer purchases

In my part of Canada, there are modest recycling levies on new vehicle tires. I consider that fair -- they have to be dealt with eventually. I have not seen levies on small utility tires.

Princess Auto in Ontario

I was wondering if Harbor thingy has them too

Yes I agree levies on vehicle tires is fine by me
I have recycled rubber on the floor in the kitchen/ entry

I'm interested to see what more knowledgeable UScians respond with. I don't know anything about utility tires, but my impression of road-vehicle tires is that every state does it differently with some imposing fees at the time of purchase (some of which can be refunded at end of life) and some not. Likewise, some places those fees cover the recycling cost, and in others they don't. And the fine for illegal dumping of tires (an astoundingly common practice) varies pretty widely as well. This quiltwork of regulation means that some people who live near state lines will buy tires on one side of the border, and dump or recycle them on the other, regardless of where they live or register the vehicle.

In Australia recycled tyres are used in repaving roads here.

Ra Kenworth wrote:Princess Auto in Ontario  

In Canada, tire recycling and fees are the jurisdiction of the provinces. They will vary depending on the programs in place.

What a mess across North America! Is it possible to standardise things?

John C Daley wrote:What a mess across North America! Is it possible to standardise things?

NOOOOOO! States' rights! :D

OK, here are some standardised things;
- driving on the same side of the road
- use of same currency
- breath the same air!
- electricity voltage
- traffic lights
Some questions about whether there is standardisation with
- fire truck connections
- gravity
- water treatment

From a Canadian perspective, I don't see any compelling reason for a centralized (federal) response to tire recycling. Each of our far-flung regions faces different circumstances, requiring different approaches. So it's best to keep it within our constitutional guardrails.

The best course is to find ways for people to drive less. That would be brilliant.

Surprisingly OR doesn't have a levy on tires other than the Federal Excise Tax that started in 1918 to pay for WWI and has morphed since then.

Robert Ray wrote:Surprisingly OR doesn't have a levy on tires other than the Federal Excise Tax that started in 1918 to pay for WWI and has morphed since then.

Curious! How do you folks manage those mountains of worn out tires? (Curious about creative solutions to a universal problem.)

To my  knowledge (and someone could  correct if I'm too far off base)  approximately 70% of tires are recycled and used in pour-in-place rubber surfacing  (running tracks/walkways, etc), rubber modified asphalt (to what volume I don't know), and rubber mulch (playgrounds, etc).

Small example that I know of- goat "playground".  Coolest examples I've seen is  packing them with dirt for making  house walls- though I'd NOT take on that challenge LOL.

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:

John C Daley wrote:What a mess across North America! Is it possible to standardise things?

NOOOOOO! States' rights! :D

And I think Quebec will always try to be different ;-)

John C Daley wrote:OK, here are some standardised things;
- driving on the same side of the road

😂 There was a joke that the UK was going to join the rest of the world but will do it in phases:

They will begin with just the lorries!!

(A lorry is a 3 ton truck or bigger and they take the right of way)

I don't remember paying anything extra when I buy tires.

We buy them online mostly or have our daughter buy them at Discount Tire.

My car was recently at the Subaru dealer to have something fixed.  Our daughter called with all the extra things it needed.

Tires was one of these extras.  I thought she had bought new tires just before I got the car.  I elected to not get tires but did get a battery though not at Subaru.

Anyway, I ask Mr Google said said:

When you buy a tire, the price you see usually does not include the cost of mounting and balancing the tire onto your wheel; this is considered an additional service fee that most tire shops will charge separately when you purchase new tires.

😂 good to see Google still can't think outside the box and consider things like tires levies! 😂

My only concern is the issue of reuse and keeping them out of landfill and rivers.
If it can be done with 60  jurisdictions in North America so be it, but States rights
should not be greater than world community rights, which seem to have missed out somewhere.
How would that go to be challenged?

Our auto mechanic shop charges $2 per tire disposal fee. That's about the same price the dump charges for disposal.

Me? I take them back home for 'gasp' tarp weights.

I think the logic of charging an up-front new tire fee in my province was to stop people dumping used ones on the roadside and in waterways to get out of paying the disposal fee. Since there is no charge to drop off used tires at recycling centres, there is no incentive for bad behaviour.