Effective November 9, 2015, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources passed Rule 391-3-4-.19 requiring Georgia scrap tire carriers to obtain a surety bond in an amount of either $10,000 or $20,000, depending on the volume of tires being transported on a monthly basis.
What is a Georgia scrap tire carrier?
Any person collecting or transporting scrap or used tires— tires that are no longer able to be used for their intended purpose due to damage or wear— is considered to be a scrap tire carrier in the state of Georgia. Unlike scrap tire generators or storage facilities, carriers are unable to keep scrap tires on the premises and are solely responsible for ensuring that they are properly transported to a processing or disposal facility. All of the necessary forms to apply for licensure as a scrap tire carrier in Georgia are located on the EPD’s scrap tire page.
Amended Bond Amounts and Damages
Though Georgia scrap tire carriers have always been required to post a surety bond in order to operate within the state, the previous amounts were lower than the new requirement mandates. Prior to November 9, 2015, the EPD required scrap tire carriers that transported up to 500 tires a month to submit a $5,000 bond, and a $10,000 bond was required of carriers that transported more than 500 tires a month. The EPD, believing that the previous amounts were not adequate based on the monthly amount of scrap tires being transported, passed Rule 391-3-4-.19. The new rule mandates that, as of November 9, all applicants seeking licensure as scrap tire carriers must post bonds of $10,000 for 5,000 or fewer tires and $20,000 for more than 5,000 tires transported per month.
The EPD established the bond requirement as a financial assurance that scrap tire carriers possessed the capital to cover any damages that may occur due to non-compliance with any rules and regulations set forth by Georgia Code 12-8-40.1. In the event that the carrier is found to be responsible for any damages accrued while transporting scrap tires, a claim may be filed up to the full amount of the bond, in which case the money would be deposited into a solid waste trust fund created by the Georgia Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act of 1990.
If you are looking to get bonded as a scrap tire carrier in Georgia or need to comply with these new regulations, request a quote from SuretyBonds.com today.
