Under the Idaho Waste Tire Disposal Act, municipal solid waste landfills are the only sites in Idaho where waste tires can be disposed of. Disposal refers to tires at their end of life; storage of new or usable tires is regulated by the county.

Counties are required to issue written approvals for waste tire storage sites and collect from them a financial assurance of $2.50 per tire authorized to be stored. Conditional use permit requirements can be used to issue written approvals for waste tire storage sites. If counties do not have the personnel or funding to oversee a waste tire program, they may ask DEQ to assume this responsibility.

Abandoned tire piles pose a serious fire threat that can result in air, surface water, and ground water impacts. Discarded tires are also a breeding ground for disease-carrying pests and rodents, including mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus.