They dumped millions of old tires into the ocean: it has not been cleaned for 54 years
In 1972, about 2 million old car tires were left in the sea along Florida's coast to create a new habitat for fish. However, the artificial reef project turned into an environmental disaster that, over time, damaged natural coral. Despite 54 years having passed, work continues to clean the tires from the seabed.
A project launched to recycle waste and create new habitats for marine life turned into a major environmental problem over the years.
In 1972, fishermen and volunteers along Florida's Fort Lauderdale coast dumped about 2 million old car tires into the ocean to create an artificial reef. The project, called the Osborne Reef, aimed both to recycle the waste tires and to create new habitats where fish could live.
However, the planned artificial reef gradually turned into an uncontrolled pile of waste. As the connections holding the tires together broke, the tires spread across the seafloor and began to damage natural coral reefs.
The Artificial Reef Project Damaged Corals
The corrosive effect of seawater gradually weakened the metal connectors that held the tires together. With the plastic fasteners also losing their function, the tires could no longer stay fixed.
Storms and strong ocean currents dragged the tires across the seafloor, carrying them onto natural coral reefs. The moving tires colliding with the corals caused serious damage to the regional ecosystem.
For 54 Years, It Is Being Removed from the Seafloor
In 2006, studies were conducted to determine the extent of the environmental damage caused by the project. A year later, comprehensive efforts began to remove the sea‑tire debris. Military divers also supported the operations.
According to data from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, a total of 535,676 tires were removed from the surveyed area as of December 31, 2025.
In the work, divers gather the tires from the seafloor. Then, the tires transported to the surface by vessels are removed from the area.
The Cost of Cleaning and Repair Is $137 Million
Research conducted in 2019 and 2024 estimated that about 521,000 tires could still be seen in the surveyed areas.
According to Florida state's calculations, the total budget required to remove the identified tires from the sea and repair the damaged natural reefs could reach approximately 137 million dollars.
The project launched to create a habitat for fish has turned into an environmental problem that, after 54 years, requires millions of dollars in cleaning and repair work.
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