Two million old tires thrown into the sea were supposed to form an artificial reef near the coast of Florida, but nothing good came of this plan - they wanted the best, but it turned out as usual...
Over the years, it became clear that the desired natural coral reef would not exist two kilometers from the coast. We wanted to make this area favorable for various species of flora and fauna, especially fish, which could improve the financial situation of local fishermen, create a convenient recreation area for diving enthusiasts from the entire coast and even from the mainland.
On the other hand, such a project helped get rid of used tires that had been accumulating in landfills for years. Even Goodyear joined the initiative. This is reported by ecohubmap.com.
In 1974 BARINC (Broward Artificial Reef), an enthusiastic group of fishermen and volunteers, dumped nearly 2 million used tires on the ocean floor. This happened near the city of Fort Lauderdale, 2 km off the coast of Florida. To be precise, it is about 2100 m from the coast, at a depth of 20 m and an area of 15 hectares.
The culmination of the project was the placement of over two million tires, fastened together to withstand underwater currents with steel clamps, chains or ropes. They were to form the basis of a magnificent underwater installation, which over the years was to acquire an extraordinary coral beauty.
However, Osborne's Reef, as this project was then called, did not give a positive result. The very idea of an artificial reef turned out to be a catastrophic mistake.
Instead of corals developing dynamically in their natural environment, the ocean floor in the area of the scattered tires has become even more barren. Apparently, the products of the tire industry for the underwater area have turned out to be toxic.
They are simply not suitable for living organisms and the emergence of corals, which were supposed to be the decoration of underwater diversity.
Due to numerous storms, many of the tires have scattered over the years and damaged the natural reef in the area. In addition, tires are constantly littering the beaches in this area.
Due to the effects of Hurricane Bonnie in 1998, entire bundles of tied tires were found in North Carolina. Over the years, they have also reached the shores of the Bahamas.
Despite the 50 years since the creation of the "artificial reef", the ocean floor is still littered with tires. Various groups are partially trying to free the bottom, but the volumes are small.
According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, there may still be more than a million tires on the bottom. If all goes according to plan, by 2035 there will be no trace of Osborne Reef, toxic to the underwater kingdom.