Pass SB 1181 for Less Tire Waste at the Border

California exports hundreds of thousands of unsafe used tires to Mexico every year. The tires live a short lifespan in Mexico, where they present a safety hazard to drivers and are then quickly illegally discarded and go on to clog Mexico and U.S. waterways. Waste tires from Tijuana blanket the sensitive ecosystems of the Tijuana River Valley —approximately 80,000 pounds of tires are removed by hand each year from the river, sediment basins, and the sensitive habitats of the area.

SB 1181 will limit the number of unsafe tires that California exports to Mexico. The bill strengthens the tracking system for tire flows from California into Mexico and prohibits the sale of unsafe tires. Ultimately, this helps to address the environmental justice issue of exported waste and reduces the concerning number of tires that block and pollute hydrological channels in California, including in the largest intact wetland in Southern California.

Check out Surfrider's long-term campaign to pursue clean water solutions at the border here.