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WNIJ's summary of news items around our state.

Illinois EPA Collects Used Tires To Reduce Threat Of Mosquito-Borne Diseases

"Old Tires" By Flickr User Ryan Moomey / (CC X 2.0)

Illinois' EPA announced the completion of removing more than 200 tons of used tires, including ten Northwestern counties in the Rockford region.

The collections were part of a state plan to reduce the threat of mosquito-borne diseases by removing used tires from public and abandoned properties.

Since the Mosquito Reduction Strategy was first announced in July, more than 1,166 tons of used tires have been removed in Illinois.

Improperly disposed used tires serve as habitats for disease-carrying insects, especially mosquitoes.

The two agencies divided the state into three priority zones for used tire removal, based on where Illinois would more likely see the Zika virus.

Zone 1 collections, in Southern Illinois, are nearly complete and collections have been underway in Zones 2 and 3 (Central and Northern Illinois).