Tire recycling at Hotch’s helps make dreams come true

As part of the fifth annual Tire Take Back event hosted by Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) and the Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA), Hotch’s Auto Parts in Prince Edward County pulled out all the stops to encourage community members to recycle their used tires.

The six-day event brought communities across Ontario together to encourage sustainability and fulfill the dreams of The Sunshine Foundation of Canada’s children with severe disabilities and life-threatening illnesses.

Hotch’s Auto Parts collected 224 tires during the six-day community blitz, diverting old tires from burning and landfills, and helped contribute to the overall donation to Sunshine Foundation.

Ontario residents from across the province dropped off 46,898 tires as part of the event organized by Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) and the Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) raising more than $90,000 for The Sunshine Foundation of Canada to help children with life threatening illnesses and severe disabilities to embark on adventures of a lifetime.

Sixty registered tire collectors from Thunder Bay to London donated tire collection allowances while OARA contributed an additional $25,000 to further enhance the final collection tally.

“We’re thrilled that Ontarians continue to show such enthusiasm around the Tire Take Back program,” said Andrew Horsman, Executive Director, Ontario Tire Stewardship. “As tire recycling awareness grows, Ontarians have become very engaged in terms of driving sustainability in the province. Everyone plays a role in keeping tires out of landfills, and recycling tires means they can be turned into new high quality recycled tire products for gardens, playgrounds, and patios.”

This year, A&L Auto Recyclers in Comber, Ontario collected more than 13,000 used tires, receiving the prize for highest number of tires collected out of all participating OARA member locations. As a result, A&L is to receive $15,000 toward sustainable recycled tire products to be used to revitalize a community space in partnership with the Town of Lakeshore.