Pinellas County awarded NOAA grant to clean up tires from Tampa Bay and Gulf of Mexico

Pinellas County has accepted a $2.25 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for marine debris removal. The County will use the grant to clean up waste tires placed in the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay as artificial reefs in the 1970s and 1980s.

Pinellas County stopped using tires as material for artificial reefs in the early 1990s after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) determined they are harmful to the environment and do not make efficient or stable reef materials. Tires are now prohibited from being used for artificial reefs throughout Florida.

The cleanup is expected to be completed by July 2027. The first stages of the project—expected to start in 2025—will include surveying the previously permitted artificial reefs known to have received tires to identify where these tires are now located and determine the best methods to remove them.

The project is not expected to impact the public. The tires recovered from the Gulf will be brought to the County’s Solid Waste Disposal Complex, where they will be processed in the Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility and converted to electrical power.

Pinellas County has 43 artificial reefs made from clean debris like concrete. These reefs can be enjoyed by boaters and divers while providing habitat for marine animals. For more information about the Artificial Reef Program, including a map of the County’s artificial reefs, visit Pinellas.gov/reef.