The move came before recycling was possible, when tires were piling up around the county's landfills and rural areas. /CFP Photo

However, sea water quickly corroded the tires, together with metal clips and nylon ropes that were used to bundle the tires together. Over the years, these tires have done extensive damage to nearby coral reefs. /CFP Photo

Forty years later, clean-up work is still underway in the coastal waters, led by military divers with about half million tires still buried. /CFP Photo