Tag Archives: chikungunya

Spare old tires second lives as mosquito havens, nuisances and hazards  

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Old, discarded vehicle tires might not have the get up and go they used to, but if we don’t properly dispose of them they operate just fine when it comes to aiding and accelerating the growth of the mosquito population.

Tires are ideal breeding sites for several species of mosquitoes that could carry diseases such as Zika, dengue and chikungunya. They collect leaves and easily fill up with water when it rains, making them perfect places for mosquito larvae to thrive.

Considering the fact that South Carolinians generate more than 4.5 million waste tires every year, it’s critical that we dispose of them in the right manner.

Recycling is the best solution

Here’s how you as a citizen can help:

  • When you purchase a new tire, leave the old one with the dealer.
  • If you have tires around your home, toss out any water they might be holding, keep them dry and cover them or store them inside. If you don’t have a use for keeping them, the best solution is to recycle discarded tires. Most counties have collection programs that accept a minimal number of waste tires (usually about five) at drop-off recycling centers. Check with your local recycling coordinator or call the Office of Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling at 1-800-768-7348 for a drop-off center near you.
  • Report tire dumping and unpermitted storage of waste tires. Contact your local litter control office or the local DHEC Environmental Health Services Office. To find your local litter office go to org/about/ and select your county. DHEC offices are listed at www.scdhec.gov/HomeAndEnvironment/DHECLocations/.

Properly discarding tires helps control mosquito populations and combats mosquito-borne diseases, and it also prevents potential fire hazards and removes unsightly nuisances. Recycled tires can be turned into valuable products like rubberized asphalt or crumb rubber applications that can be used in road projects, playgrounds, sport facilities and even erosion-resistant beach walls.

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Recycled tires can be used to construct sports facilities.

In South Carolina, DHEC is working to identify responsible parties to remove and manage illegally dumped tires. But while it’s critical to cleanup existing piles, the best solution is to prevent such piles from forming in the first place.

Be responsible and lawful

It’s going to take responsible, informed, lawful efforts on the part of those who sell, buy, transport or process tires to avoid the creation of waste tire heaps:

  • If you transport more than 15 waste tires at any one time in South Carolina, you must be registered as a hauler. Be sure to obtain a waste tire hauler permit.
  • A permit also is required to process waste tires, including the use of mobile shredders.
  • The storage of waste tires typically requires a waste tire collection permit. Certain exemptions apply to new or scrap tire dealers, tire retreaders, tire manufacturers, permitted solid waste facilities, businesses that remove tires from motor vehicles and agricultural users.

Here’s where the rubber meets the road: Once tires have lost their get up and go, dispose of them properly. Spare them a second life as mosquito havens, nuisances and environmental hazards.

It’s time to Fight the Bite!

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By Jim Beasley
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Mosquitoes. They bite. They bother. They can carry diseases.

That’s why DHEC needs you to help stop the potential spread of mosquito-borne viruses such as West Nile and chikungunya.

West Nile virus first appeared in South Carolina more than a decade ago. Birds are “reservoirs” for the virus, but it’s pesky mosquitoes that first feed on the blood of those birds, then transmit the virus when biting people.

Do your part

DHEC seeks your help tracking the re-emergence of West Nile in the Palmetto State by collecting certain types of dead birds and delivering them to DHEC offices for lab testing.

Dr. Chris Evans is a Ph.D. entomologist with the DHEC Bureau of Laboratories, who performs lab analysis on blue jays, crows, house sparrows, and house finches.

“By having citizens watch out for these dead birds and submitting them to us, we broaden our ability to identify areas of the state where mosquitoes are spreading illness,” Evans said. “It’s easy to be involved. Just go to www.scdhec.gov/birdtesting and read about the safe and simple way to submit a bird to us for testing.”

Take steps to protect

The best way to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses is to prevent mosquito bites in the first place:

  • Use air conditioning or window/door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.  If you are not able to protect yourself from mosquitoes inside your home or hotel, sleep under a mosquito bed net.
  • Help reduce the number of mosquitoes outside your home or hotel room by emptying standing water from containers such as flowerpots or buckets.
  • When weather permits, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
  • Use insect repellents
    • Repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol products provide long lasting protection.
    • If you use both sunscreen and insect repellent, apply the sunscreen first and then the repellent.
    • Do not spray repellent on the skin under your clothing.
    • Treat clothing with permethrin or purchase permethrin-treated clothing.
    • Always follow the label instructions when using insect repellent or sunscreen.

For additional information on mosquitoes in South Carolina, click here. Learn more about the diseases mosquitoes can spread on our website.

Protect yourself from mosquito bites

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By Jennifer Read

Mosquito Prevention

A few days ago DHEC Public Health confirmed the first case of chikungunya virus this year in a South Carolina resident. The case occurred in an Upstate resident who recently returned from a trip to Haiti.

Chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne illness traditionally found in Africa and Asia, was recently identified in the Caribbean. The symptoms of chikungunya are headache, fever, rash, joint swelling or muscle pain.

So far, the virus has only been identified in the United States in individuals who recently traveled internationally. If you recently traveled to the Caribbean and believe you have been infected by a mosquito-borne illness, you should contact your health care provider.​

Prevent the Bite

To protect yourself and your family from any mosquito-borne illnesses, DHEC Public Health recommends following “the four Ds” to prevent bites:

  1. DEET – Apply insect repellent on exposed skin and clothing when you go outdoors. Use an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent. Permethrin sprayed on clothing provides protection through several washes. Don’t spray repellent on skin under clothing and don’t use permethrin on skin.
  2. Dress – Cover up. Wear long sleeve shirts and long pants and socks while outdoors to prevent mosquito bites.
  3. Dawn and dusk – Reduce exposure to mosquitoes during the early morning and evening hours when they are most active. It is important to wear repellent at that time.
  4. Drain – Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property where mosquitoes can lay their eggs, including flowerpots, old car tires and pet bowls.

For more information on how to prevent mosquito bites this summer, check out our website.