Attorney General's News Release

October 18, 2002

Nixon sues owner, operator of illegal waste tire dump in northwest Springfield to remove 30,000 tires

Springfield, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon on Oct. 18 filed a lawsuit seeking the removal of approximately 30,000 waste tires illegally dumped over several years on property located at Kansas Expressway and Mount Vernon Street in Springfield.

Nixon sued property owner Terry L. Wilson and the operator of Wilson Tire Co., Richard Peck. The lawsuit alleges the pair have operated the waste tire site without a permit for several years and also have violated Missouri solid waste laws by storing tires too close to buildings and without fire lanes, and by failing to control mosquitoes and other pests attracted to the tires and the water that collects in them. The defendants have been cited several times by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for violations at the site.

"Mr. Peck and Mr. Wilson have used numerous delaying tactics over the years to shirk their responsibilities in cleaning up this illegal tire dump," Nixon said. "They have not responded satisfactorily to the efforts of the MDNR to resolve this situation. It is now time to use litigation to get the full and undivided attention of the defendants."

The MDNR issued Peck a waste tire hauler permit in 1992 but revoked the permit in 1997 because of the ongoing violations at the Wilson Tire dump site. Neither Wilson or Peck have ever obtained a waste tire storage permit from the MDNR, which is required for storing 500 or more tires.

Nixon is asking the Greene County Circuit Court to order the defendants to immediately cease bringing waste tires to the site; comply with all state storage requirements for waste tires; and promptly remove and properly dispose of the waste tires already on the site. The lawsuit also that the MDNR and its third-party contractors be given access to the site, if necessary, to carry out tire removal and that the defendants be ordered to pay for the costs of such activities.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818