READER REPORT: Dozens of tires dumped in Fairmount Ravine

| Environment | West Seattle news

Tire-dumping in West Seattle greenspaces seems to be a recurring problem. After multiple reports in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, tonight word of another location – a texter sent the report and photos:

Someone dumped maybe 50 tires on the side of the road on Fairmount Avenue. It’s kind of a criminal amount of illegal dumping … I just got home from the airport … Sounds like this happened sometime Thursday night or Friday.

That timeframe was according to the texter’s neighbors. The city’s page about illegal dumping explains, among other things, how to report it (and also has a map of recent reports).

P.S. Almost forgot to mention, the dumped-in-Fauntleroy spa chairs shown here earlier this week have been taken away, reports Tom (who sent the original photo of the chairs).

Also John January 17, 2026 (8:26 pm)

I did a quick check. Seattle transfer station charges $15 for 4 tires. So 50 tires would cost $187.50 to dispose of legally. Sad they decided the way they did.

Chemist January 18, 2026 (10:37 am)

I’m in no way excusing dumping, but that’s the rate for a 4 tire maximum load. Beyond 4 it might be just the weight-based rate (or prohibited). From the Where Does It Go? tool – Transfer Station Bring up to 4 tires per visit to city transfer stations. Fees apply.

AH Neighbor January 17, 2026 (9:51 pm)

Not sad, but totally Infuriating!!!! Lazy nasty people who likely advertise and take $$ from unsuspecting folks to dispose of these tires, then just dump the tires. Happened here a few months ago in Arbor Hts. Do your very best to report – with photos and license plate numbers. Thank you for posting!

North Admiral Cyclist January 18, 2026 (5:58 am)

Many will not like to hear this, but we’ve had the model to prevent dumping available to us for decades. It’s called a “deposit” program, where you pay upfront for your bottle deposit. Similar programs have existed for car batteries, which are extremely destructive to the environment if dumped. In recent years, we are finding tires are bad too because of chemicals they put in the rubber. The bottom line, is there are always going to be bad people that dump items that are expensive to dispose of. Unless you make it easier and cheaper for them to get rid of these items properly, this will just keep happening. Charge a little more for the tires upfront to pay for a program with proper disposal for free.

Platypus January 19, 2026 (9:42 am)

Actually a great point. Car batteries have a 99% recycling rate as a result of this program. Just move the $15 to the front of purchase instead of the back. Same money, solves a problem. This would actually do the same thing as can deposits where people would actually go looking for tires to clean up just to get money. Unsure how that would handle this for online purchases.
Frog January 19, 2026 (11:26 am)

A tire deposit program would need to apply to tire dealers, not consumers. With batteries, the consumer pays a deposit on the new battery, and gets it back by returning the old battery, typically to the exact same retailer. (Not sure if you could take your old battery to a totally different retailer and expect to receive your $15 back — never tried that.) If you remove your old battery at home or in the parking lot and carry it into the store, you can avoid the deposit altogether. The way people usually buy tires is already like this: you hand over your old tires to the supplier of the new. The supplier of new tires is legally bound to dispose of the old ones properly, and probably charges the consumer a fee for that. The dumping problem is entirely a matter of behavior by scrap yard operators or dealers.

22blades January 18, 2026 (9:43 am)

I doubt this was a private individual with this many tires. I’m thinking a commercial garage that has the dumping move down well. Infuriating…

I love tires disposed of properly January 18, 2026 (11:51 am)

Someone just dumped dozens of tires at Salmon Cove park visible if you look east as you drove north past the area on 599. I can’t help but think the timing is coincidental

Peter S. January 18, 2026 (12:21 pm)

Fifty tires? That’s a LOT of tires. As others have commented: Doubtful it’s someone just unloading a personal collection or on behalf of someone else. As usual, the solution is to remove the financial incentive. Either by upfront deposit (as NAC suggested above), or by allowing proper disposal for “free” similar to the way used engine oil and other hazardous chemicals are collected. FWIW, tire stores already charge a “disposal fee” when you buy new tires, so there’s no excuse for a legitimate business to be so irresponsible.

Mudman January 18, 2026 (1:25 pm)

Surprised?
Hundreds of residents signed a petition against allowing Ash Grove cement to burn more old tires for the furnaces used in cement production.

Platypus January 19, 2026 (9:43 am)

Unclear what your point is, both dumping and and burning tires can both bad choices.

Paula January 18, 2026 (2:15 pm)

I saw a huge trailer full of used tires parked on the North side of Holden in front of the Longfellow Creek Condo apartments just off Delridge Thursday night. A lady was on a phone next to it when I drove by. Kinda wondered if they would be dumped somewhere.

Kersti Muul January 18, 2026 (5:44 pm)

We will get Erik Bell on it!

Bradley January 19, 2026 (8:44 am)

Facebook group Alki cleanup is all over this and has filed a police report with the suspected party.

Ron J January 19, 2026 (3:43 pm)

Paula, if the trailer was white, it is probably one that had been parked in White Center for a couple of days. It was reported to KCSO and an officer was to check on it Thur. afternoon. It left Thur. evening. A neighbor took pictures and there was no license plate attached.

Sorry, comment time is over.