Used tires are a breeding source for mosquitoes, providing an ideal
“incubator” for mosquito eggs and larvae. Adult mosquitoes
lay eggs in improperly discarded tires filled with rainwater
and organic materials (leaves and grass). Over the course of
one breeding season, hundreds of mosquitoes can be
generated from just one tire.
Preventing the West Nile Virus through
Proper Used Tire Management
Proper management of used tires will
help reduce the mosquito population
in Illinois. These steps can help
eliminate breeding grounds
for mosquitoes:
• Don’t leave tires outside;
keep them in a building.
• If tires must be stored
outdoors, cover them with
a tarp, plywood, or other
covering to keep rainwater out.
• Dispose of used tires at an
Illinois EPA registered used tire
processing facility.
• Report tires found in woods or grassy
areas to the Illinois EPA Used Tire Unit.
• If mosquito eggs or larvae are found in tires
at any location, report to Illinois EPA’s Used Tire Unit.
• If your business accepts or stores used tires, protect
your employees and customers from exposure –
properly manage the tires.
• Visit the Illinois EPA Used Tire
Program web site at www.epa.state.il.us/land/tires/index.html for more information.
Reporting Improperly Discarded Tires to Illinois EPA
Since 1989, the Illinois EPA Used Tire Program has cleaned up over 10 million used tires that were improperly
discarded in Illinois. To report improperly discarded tires, please refer to the contact information found on
the back of this fact sheet.
USED TIRES AND THE WEST NILE VIRUS
Illinois Bureau of Land March 2003
Environmental P.O. Box 19276
Protection Agency 1021 North Grand Avenue East
Springfield, IL 62706
West Nile Virus is a viral disease
primarily spread to people by the bite
of an infected mosquito. This virus
can cause encephalitis, a swelling of
the brain. Mosquitoes first become
infected when they feed on birds that
carry the virus. Once the mosquito is
infected, it can spread the virus to
people or other animals when it bites
them. The house mosquito, the
primary carrier of West Nile virus,
breeds in water-filled tires, roadside
ditches and street catch basins.
More than 4,000 cases of West Nile
disease, with more than 260 deaths,
were recorded in the U.S. for 2002.
Illinois had the highest number of
reported cases and deaths in the
country. The Illinois Department of
Public Health reported 62 fatalities
and 877 non-fatal cases linked to
the Illinois 2002 outbreak of West
Nile Virus.
West Nile Virus
