The State - News from Feb. 1, 1988

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) said he will sponsor legislation to phase out used tire dumps and provide money for recycling research and demonstration projects. In a radio speech, the Speaker said the used tires present serious fire hazards and serve as homes for rodents and mosquitoes. But the tires also could be turned into useful products, such as rubberized asphalt, artificial reefs, highway retaining walls and industrial fuel, according to Brown. California motorists discard 23 million used tires annually into eight dump sites, the largest of which is located near Modesto.