Discarded Tires Pile Up in Occoquan River

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – A troubling cluster of discarded tires was recently found lodged on a sandbar near channel marker 15, just downstream from the Route 1 bridge over the Occoquan River.

Local residents and longtime conservation advocates K.P. and Myra Lau, co-founders of the Belmont Bay Paddlers (BBP), a kayak club that has been organizing river cleanups since 2015, made the discovery.

“Previously, we found them along the southern bank from the railway bridge to this same spot,” said K.P., who helped coordinate the most recent cleanup. “The location hasn’t changed much—it’s just as concerning now as it was then.”

Most of the tires appear to be from commercial vehicles. “There were a few smaller ones, but the size and number indicate illegal commercial dumping,” K.P. said, noting that the tires included both truck and standard car sizes.

While Prince William County officials have expressed interest in the issue, local action has been limited. K.P. said Supervisor Victor Angry voiced support for installing surveillance cameras on the Route 1 bridge but acknowledged that someone would need to spearhead the effort for it to move forward.

In the meantime, BBP continues to partner with the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District. After retrieving the tires, the group contacts Veronica Tangiri, who coordinates tire disposal through the county’s Adopt-A-Stream Program.

Although the Laus are no longer formally managing the BBP organization, they still lead biannual cleanup efforts. “We used to have crews of kayakers go out, but this year Myra and I just did it ourselves once we realized how many tires were out there,” K.P. said. He added that cleanups often coincide with broader neighborhood events to reinforce the message that trash on land eventually ends up in the river.

K.P. calls for increased public awareness and visible warnings to deter future dumping. “Signs that say ‘No Tire Dumping’ and the possibility of tracking tire serial numbers might make people think twice,” he said. “Enforcement exists—it’s a Class I misdemeanor—but awareness and visibility are key.”