Jackson drivers heading south on I-55 on Saturday afternoon might have seen a towering cloud of smoke surrounding the city’s skyline. The fire, which a state agency confirmed started at a tire recycling facility beside McDowell Road in south Jackson, was still burning Monday morning according to WLBT.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality said in a statement Monday that the agency has been actively involved in the response to the fire and that emissions all fell below “action levels,” or legal limits. The statement doesn’t identify the property, but agency records show a matching address for a facility called MS Tire Recycling LLC.
“Community air monitoring has been a priority, and we are pleased to report that all monitored constituents of concern, including particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and benzene, have been measured below action levels, indicating that there is no current threat to public health from air quality,” MDEQ said. “Additionally, we are addressing fire water runoff by collecting oil resulting from the fire to prevent any potential environmental impact. MDEQ will continue to monitor the situation and collaborate with our emergency response partners to ensure the safety of the community and the environment.”
The agency hasn’t yet replied to a question about whether the fire will trigger any kind of investigation. According to the state’s air pollution laws, “Use of or burning of other combustible material that causes excessive visible emission (e.g., rubber tires, plastic materials, etc.) is prohibited.”
An archived page on the Environmental Protection Agency’s website says that tire fires “threaten air, soil, and water pollution.” Oil runoff from tire fires has even led to the creation of Superfund sites, including one in Virginia after a tire fire in 1983 lasted nine months.
A number of apartment complexes and schools are within roughly a mile of the facility, including Peeples Middle School and Reimagine Prep Middle School.
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